Carlos Valbuena Martón
Carlos Valbuena, a native of Palencia and currently residing in Madrid, is a multifaceted musician known for his virtuosic mastery of the violin and piano.
With a background deeply rooted in classical training, Carlos earned his Master’s of Music in Violin Performance and Performer's Diploma from the esteemed Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, under the mentorship of the legendary pedagogue Mauricio Fuks. During his tenure at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Carlos was honored with the Artistic Excellence Award and the Jascha Heifetz Scholarship, and also served as assistant teacher to Professor Fuks, assisting in mentoring fellow students and contributing to the educational environment of the institution.
Carlos’ musical journey began at the age of four with the electronic organ, followed by formal piano and violin training at age seven. His talent quickly became evident, leading to his television debut at the age of eight on local TV, where he showcased his exceptional musical aptitude with a performance of "The Sound of Music" on the electronic organ.
Throughout his career, Carlos has achieved notable success in competitions, including winning First Prize at the Concurso de Piano de Castilla y León para Jóvenes Intérpretes (2003), First Prize at the IV Regional Piano Competition in 2006, First Prize at the International Electronic Organ Festival Organissimo in 2004, and First Prize at the United Kingdom Electronic Organ Competition in 2005. He also performed live on National Spanish Radio, presenting L.V. Beethoven's Sonata op. 109 in E major as a featured segment during the special program for the European Day of Music celebrations in 2012.
Carlos has extensive orchestral experience, having served as Concertmaster for various ensembles. He was Concertmaster for the Castilla y León Youth Orchestra in 2006, as well as for the Royal Conservatory of Madrid Chamber Orchestra in 2009 and 2010. Additionally, Carlos also served as Assistant Concertmaster for the International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico in 2018 and is a member of notable orchestras such as the Orquesta Reino de Aragón and the Madrid Soloists Chamber Orchestra since 2021.
Carlos has performed alongside esteemed classical artists like Joshua Bell, Julian Rachlin and Shlomo Mintz. Notably, his role as concertmaster for ensembles like the Indiana University New Music Ensemble provided him with the opportunity to work closely with contemporary composers and develop an interest in modern music.
C. Baker Elegy for Solo Violin (1979) - Carlos Valbuena, violin
His contributions extend to recordings for classical projects such as "Piazzolla & Tango" with the San Benito Chamber Orchestra (2006) and "Mozart.Post Scriptum" with the Madrid Soloists Chamber Orchestra (2021), as well as providing music for various media, including TV shows like "LIBRES" (2023), "Reina Roja" (2024), "La Fuga" (2023), and "Los Molinos" (2024), and video games like "Blasphemous II" (2023).
Carlos has participated in masterclasses with distinguished musicians, including Joshua Bell, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Stanley Ritchie, Paul Badura-Skoda, Antonio Baciero, Mariana Sirbu, Stephan Picard, Radu Blidar, Tuija Hakkila, Ana Guijarro, Mikhail Voskresensky, Pascal Nemirovski, and others.
Carlos regularly plays in events, weddings and exhibitions of all sorts, and is also a competent arranger and improviser.
As a teacher, he encourages his students to develop discipline and respect for the music while remaining creative and keeping a fresh and eclectic approach.
In his free time, Carlos enjoys playing electric guitar, jamming with friends and playing video games. He also sets aside some time to write for TV and film projects.