La vida es un carnaval

Celia Cruz — Mi Vida Es Cantar (1998)

Music by Victor Daniel · Arrangement by Isidro Infante · Transcription/adaptation by Christian Valdés

A complete, performance-ready chart for "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" — Celia Cruz's beloved anthem of joy over hardship, from her 1998 album Mi Vida Es Cantar. A Lo Nuestro Tropical Song of the Year, one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and the sing-along moment no salsa dance floor can resist: this adaptation captures the classic Isidro Infante arrangement — charanga flute lines, punchy brass moñas, and that unstoppable coro — hand-engraved by Noted Sound for bands ready to play it. Includes a full score and parts for two trumpets, two trombones, flute, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone, guitar, piano, bass, and percussion, plus a combined Piano w/Cues part for smaller groups. Clean, modern engraving with clear rehearsal marks throughout, built for real rehearsal and performance use — whether you're running a full salsa orchestra or a scaled-down combo. Todo aquel que piense que la vida es desigual — put it in your band's book and let the audience finish the line.