Christian Moraga was born in Santiago, Chile, where he grew up listening to Latin, Jazz, Pop, R&B, Rock, and World music. As a teenager, he was introduced to the rudiments and elements of classic percussion and was inspired to pursue music as a career. At the age of 17, Christian began playing professionally by performing in various venues and festivals throughout Santiago, ranging from Jazz to pop, rock, etc. His continuous search for knowledge and excellence sent him traveling to various locations in the Caribbean, U.S., and South America to learn from the best in their fields. He traveled to Cuba where he studied privately with master percussionist “Changuito”. He visited Peru to learn Afro- Peruvian music with Leonardo Parodi. Brazil, where he studied with Ari and Dinho Nascimento. Later, he continued his education in New York at the Harbor Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Since he moved to the United States in 2005, he has performed with renowned artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Frankie Valli, Chaka Kahn, Poncho Sanchez, Harvey Mason, Bob Mintzer, Oscar Hernandez, Conrad Herwig, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Nestor Torres, Bennie Maupin, Justo Almario, Jose Alberto “El Canario”, Tito Nieves, Ismael Miranda, Jimmy Bosh, Fruko, Mongorama and many others. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California where he performs, records and teaches privately, giving clinics on a variety of percussion rhythms, and concepts from around the world. He’s working as multi- percussionist and band director in his Latin Jazz Quartet called “Conganas” and on his project called “Moraga South American Jazz”.
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