Daniel Valdez is the Ballard and Lincoln High Schools Director of Orchestras. Mr. Valdez has been directing orchestra programs for over 10 years. He has led successful programs in the San Francisco, Austin, Houston, and Chicago areas. Each orchestra he has led demonstrated musical excellence in a variety of competitions, festivals, clinics, and concerts. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Double Bass Performance from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and a Master of Music and Human Learning degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Daniel is originally from Northern California, where his first introduction to performing music was playing electric bass in a garage band with his friends. Immediately falling in love and wanting to learn more, he began studying jazz with a private tutor, eventually transitioning to the double bass and focusing more on performing classical music with orchestras. He has a deep passion for all forms of music and loves nothing more than sharing that with others.