Willy Calderon officially signs an endorsement deal with the biggest music instrument company in the world, Yamaha Music Corporation.

Willy Calderon Announces Signature Timbales with Gon Bops

Los Angeles, CA — Internationally acclaimed producer and percussionist Willy Calderon has announced the upcoming release of the Willy Calderon Neon Signature Timbales in collaboration with Gon Bops Percussion, scheduled for release in early 2026.
The Neon Signature Timbales mark a historic milestone in percussion design as the first mass-produced steel timbales to feature a dual-color finish, combining neon yellow and magenta. Designed for both professional performance and visual impact, the instruments reflect Calderon’s forward-thinking approach to contemporary Latin music and stage aesthetics.
With this release, Calderon becomes the youngest signature artist on the U.S. West Coast in history, further solidifying his influence as a modern innovator in Latin percussion. The collaboration brings together Gon Bops’ legacy of craftsmanship with Calderon’s global perspective as a performer, producer, and genre pioneer.

Willy Calderon Serves as Cultural Ambassador of Latin Music in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea — Internationally acclaimed producer and percussionist Willy Calderon recently completed a two-month cultural residency in South Korea, serving as an ambassador of Latin music and percussion. During his time in the country, Calderon presented a series of concerts, workshops, and masterclasses focused on Afro-Latin rhythms, contemporary Latin music, and cross-cultural musical collaboration.
As part of the residency, Calderon recorded as a featured percussionist on the government-funded Latin jazz album Latin Jazz In Seoul by South Korean composer and bandleader Gayoung Bae, contributing to a landmark project bridging Latin and Korean jazz traditions. The album brings together international and Korean musicians in a rare cultural exchange supported by public arts funding.
Calderon’s residency further solidified his role as a global cultural connector, expanding the reach of Latin music across Asia while fostering dialogue between musical traditions. His work in South Korea follows similar cultural initiatives he has led in Japan, the Philippines, China, and Singapore.