Biography
Born around 1955 in Mexico, Mendoza began his musical studies on flute as a young child before turning his focus to percussion. He moved to the United States just before adolescence and pursued training in music education and orchestral percussion at Northern Arizona University, later continuing at Berklee College of Music. Upon completing his studies at Berklee, he joined its faculty in 1983. Beyond this role he has conducted master classes around the world, among them engagements at prominent music institutions throughout the United Kingdom, and he issued the instructional DVD Latin Jazz Grooves. Alongside frequent club and concert appearances, he has performed on American television, notably in the PBS program Victor Mendoza In Concert, and he has also taped material for BBC Television in Britain. Additional UK engagements include his appearance at the Rhythm Sticks ’98 Festival held at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. He has further served as guest soloist with the Carlos Chávez Symphony Orchestra at the Festival Internacional de Percusiones in Mexico City, with the Mila Svoboda Orchestra in Prague, and with the World Festival Orchestra led by Paquito D’Rivera. Other collaborators encompass Michel Camilo, Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernández, Giovanni Hidalgo, Alain Mallet, Danilo Pérez and Claudio Roditi. Mendoza has additionally led numerous recording sessions.
Albums
