I think this is the first time I’ve written something serious, but if my friends from Campus WOB ask me to do it, I have to. So here is my experience about doing what you enjoy most in life:

I want to tell you how I became Music Director at Cirque du Soleil, or rather, how I managed to achieve my dream. I don’t think I have enough wrinkles yet to be able to give advice about life, but given that I’m probably twice the age of those of you who participate at Campus WOB, I will take the liberty of trying to give you a little advice based on what life has taught me so far.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “Do what you enjoy most”. For me, this has been a great piece of advice that I’ve kept in mind all my life, in every step I have taken or will take.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “Do what you enjoy most”. For me, this has been a great piece of advice that I’ve kept in mind all my life, in every step I have taken or will take. I am passionate about music and the piano. My father was a drummer, and in my house we always listened to the radio or a lot of records.

Even as a child I played melodies by ear and even entered the conservatory, although I soon realised that this was not for me at that stage of my life: I preferred to play football in my spare time and that’s what I did.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have continued at the conservatory, but I think I was very young and I made the right decision at the time. Later, however, when I went on stage for the first time, I knew: “This is what I want to do”.

They say that “whoever wants something must work for it.” This happens in all fields, and music is no exception, so I had to train myself.

Since, because of my age, I could no longer apply for a place in the conservatory’s piano programme, I had to train on my own by looking for private teachers, spending hours and hours watching YouTube videos and listening to a great deal of music.

I spent hours and hours at the keyboard, but they never weighed me down because I always enjoyed doing what I really wanted to do.

In 2004 I got one of my first paid jobs as a musician, and with the money I bought a pair of tickets to see Saltimbanco, a Cirque du Soleil show, and when the show started I thought to myself: “I want to be there.”

I knew that I was not ready, that I still had a lot to learn, but the idea struck a chord in me, stayed with me and pushed me to continue my education even more.

Soon I started recording albums, making productions, arrangements and playing on television or on tour with various artists such as India Martínez, Manuel Carrasco, Pastora Soler, Farruquito, Vanesa Martin, Malú or David DeMaría, with whom I spent several years as Musical Director.

«Today I have been with the company for almost seven years and I can say that I have achieved what I wanted: I have been part of three magical shows and now I direct one of the greatest spectacles in the world.»

In 2009, after seeing another Cirque du Soleil show, I thought it was time to give it a try, and I finally got up the courage to send in some videos of myself playing.

Soon after, I received an email asking me if I wanted to replace one of their musicians. I will never forget that moment. I felt like a footballer receiving a call from Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. I couldn’t believe it.

Within two weeks I was making my debut at London’s Wembley Arena with “Saltimbanco”, the very show that made me dream of going there.

I had made it and it was incredible, although it was also time to think about staying there and about how much work still lay ahead: practise more and more, improve my English, learn, learn and keep learning.

Today I have been with the company for almost seven years and I can say that I have achieved what I wanted: I have been part of three magical shows and now I direct one of the greatest spectacles in the world. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

But the best thing of all is that I am still doing what I love, I make a living from it and I always feel that there is still a lot to learn.

During these years, I have gathered a few lessons, such as that a person is not from where they are born but from where they live and grow. I discovered this by living alongside people from 25 different nationalities, after visiting almost 40 countries and realising that my home and my family were not the only things that mattered. Getting to know other cultures, ideas and ways of learning enriches you greatly as a person and helps you value your own even more

In the beginning, when I started to travel so much, I always wanted to go back home, to my bed. I counted the days until I would be back. Now I feel that when I go home it’s like going on holiday. It’s still my bed, my people and my favourite place to be in the world, but as long as I keep travelling I will belong wherever my heart is.

Another of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you have to train and educate yourself as much as possible. If you truly want to do what you love, fight for it, travel, learn and have fun!

Confucius said that if you choose a job you like, you will never have to work a day in your life. And I think it’s true, because work is your passion and doing what you love every day will be fun.