Mr. Maldonado was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and attended NEISD schools, including Jackson Middle School and Lee High School, where he participated in concert band, jazz band, and marching band. His interest in music began at an early age through piano lessons, and his passion for teaching grew as he helped tutor classmates—an experience that inspired him to pursue a career in music education.

Mr. Maldonado earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2018 from The University of Texas at San Antonio, along with a minor in Jazz Performance. He studied trumpet under Jan Roller and Dr. Adrian Ruiz, with additional mentorship from Mike Steiner, Ron Ellis, Dr. John Zarco, and Dr. Si Millican. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance from Texas State University in 2020, studying under Dr. Andy Cheetham and the Texas State Jazz faculty. During his time at Texas State, he performed with the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, Salsa Del Rio, Oquestra Del Rio, and the top Jazz Combo directed by Butch Miles.

Throughout his career, Mr. Maldonado has worked with schools across San Antonio and San Marcos, assisting with concert and marching bands and directing the John Marshall High School Jazz Ensemble II. He has also served as an on-call brass musician with organizations such as the San Antonio Chamber Wind Ensemble, San Antonio Wind Symphony, Aquarena Springs Symphonic Band, and San Antonio Jazz Collective, among others. In addition to performing, he has released original music on major streaming platforms and regularly assists with summer band camps. He continuously aims to improve his skills on each instrument and how to teach it.

Mr. Maldonado lives in San Marcos with his wife, a fellow music educator, and their six cats. In his free time, he enjoys composing more music for his ensembles, playing video games, and cooking.