Musician

Valarie Alexandra Valois

**** ******** ******

Charlotte, North Carolina 28213

704-***-**** Cellular Phone

********@*****.***

Educational and Employment History:

The Vienna Academy: Vienna, Austria

Debuted the piano works of Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera for the ORF at his request, in place of the normal diploma requirements. Conductor, music director and organist for the Esterhazy Palace Chapel. Piano and organ soloist and collaborative artist, coach and conductor with various featured singers and instrumentalists of the Vienna Opera and Symphony Orchestra. Extensive travels throughout the Eastern Bloc, bringing in foreign language scriptures for those trapped behind the Iron Curtain before the fall of The Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Empire. Teachers and Mentors: Alexander Jenner, Frieda Valenzi. Masters and PhD. Southern Illinois University: Edwardsville, Illinois Served as performing artist, prize-winning contestant, spokesperson and promoter for the university. Worked PT as organist, conductor, and liturgist at nearby churches. Created a first-ever arts consignment shop called The Potpourri, featuring the finest regional artists and craftspersons in the St. Louis area. Also worked as a model for Estee Lauder and Eva of Roma.

Mentors and Teachers: Renato Premezzi and Ruth Slenczynska. B.A. in Performing Arts -- Dean's College.

Boston University: Boston, Massachusetts.

First woman in BU’s history named "Scholar in Music." Founded the "Visiting Artists Series" at the International Club. Conducted the "Boston Savoyards," devoted to presenting the operattas of Gilbert & Sullivan by a semi-professional group of singers, actors and dancers drawn from students and professors from BU, MIT, BC and Harvard. Collaborative work with students, faculty, and members of the Boston Symphony and a number of international singers and visiting artists. Teachers: Richard Corbett and Joseph Bloch (of the Juilliard School.) Further Advanced Studies: USA, Switzerland and Italy The only new student chosen by the legendary Italian maestro, and Papal favorite, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli from a field of more than 1500 applicants worldwide. Charged with breaking in his Hamburg concert grand pianos before his concert tours and recording sessions. Studies in piano and organ, keyboard and choral composition, choral direction, and chamber music. Full scholarship. Special Advanced Training and Special Projects Coordinator: Yamaha International Corporation, USA and Japan

Invited by Yamaha International to prepare extraordinarily- talented students for major performances at the United Nations, The White House, and with major symphony orchestras, and on international media. Served as Artist-Teacher and representative for Yamaha in the US and Japan.

Teachers & Mentors:

Dr. E. Marie Burdette, Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas-- Studies in Piano, Organ and Collaborative Keyboard Repertoire. Madame Angelica Morales von Sauer, and Assistant to Prof. Clayton Krehbiel,( Robert Shaw’s favorite tenor) University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas-- Studies in Piano, Choral Conducting and Collaborative Music. Dr. Lawson Jones and Mary Chelf Jones, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas and Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan -- Studies in Piano, Voice, Collaborative Music and Conducting. Professor Paul Badura-Skoda and Professor Jorge Demus, Vienna, Austria -- Studies in Piano and Collaborative Music Performance Practice. Professional Experience:

Liturgical Musician, Choral Director, Concert & Collaborative Pianist, Teacher, Conductor, Organist and Composer -- USA and Europe Continuous and unbroken body and lifetime of studies and work, serving as a liturgical musician, organist, conductor and choral director, concert and collaborative pianist, teacher, mentor, composer, pedagogue, and arts advocate and spokesperson, as well as being an award-winning actress, singer, dancer for religious, educational, charitable and/or business organizations from my early youth to the present day. Artist in Residence, Director of Liturgy, Music & Arts Outreach ~ St. Catharine College, Kentucky

Assisted in organizing and founding: "The Mid-Kentucky Arts at St. Catharine's," "The Arts Consortium of the Bluegrass,” as well as " The Community Chorus at St. Catharine's." Conducted the musical elements for the Kentucky Dominicans to celebrate their 175th year presence in the Commonwealth. Arranged for the appearance of stellar artists, received and nourished local talent, built a strong audience base and financial support for music and the arts in a region under-developed and under-funded before this time, as well as a highly successful series of galas and celebrations for the college. Assisted in developing this school into the fastest-growing college or university in the state. Served as Choir Director, Organist & Liturgist for several regional churches. A few current or recent projects and events:

Currently serving as Director of Sacred Music for a Catholic congregation of @ 11,000 parishioners in the Diocese of Charlotte, NC. Inaugurating a series featuring the “lost music” of souls who did not escape the Holocaust, or who were banned due to their Jewish origins, including relative obscure compositions and their composers - to immigrants Ernest Bloch and Mario Castlenuovo- Tedesco (who was the teacher of musical lights such as John Williams, Leonard Slatkin and Henry Mancini.) Concurrently performing as a soloist and collaborative artist in the region, as well as composing and arranging new sacred choral and keyboard music. Teaching and mentoring a small number of students throughout the Charlotte region, one of whom is about to solo with an orchestra. Exploring and investing in the studies of the sacred and ancient rites of Music Thanatology, including learning how to play the guitar I already have but need to learn to play, and a Celtic harp, which I have yet to acquire, because souls making their transition from this life to another- might be accorded dignity, comfort and inspiration, with music which brings them “home.” Provided musical direction and coaching for The Children’s Theater of Charlotte’s production of

“The Wizard of Oz.”

Hobbies include gardening, cooking - and eating, dancing, singing, reading, watching detective videos and documentaries, and always enjoying the planning for the next liturgical or musical event, while celebrating the simple and extraordinary miracles of living every day.

References available on request.

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