About Me

In 2013 my husband, 2 dogs and I moved to England from Houston, TX. For the past two years I have been busy touring in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska and England. My upcoming tour this season will bring me to Bedford, Woburn, Manchester and in the States I will be performing in Alaska and Texas. With my busy touring schedule I am also finishing a recording project and teaching through my private guitar studio. As a classical guitarist you travel around the world performing in concert venues and in schools. What interests me next is to perform either in soundtracks for movies, television, commercials or to perform within these programmes (as a musician actor). Many times, television, movies and commercials will feature musicians performing as part of the story line. Some of my favourite shows like Morris or Lewis include musicians as active part within the show or in the soundtrack. It has been a goal of mine to participate in this medium.

Music

Experience

Instruments Played

Employment History & Experience

These are all highlights from my CV; if you would like to see the complete CV, please email me at valeriehartzell@gmail.com

EDUCATION:
May 1999 : M. A. in Music (Guitar Performance) at Radford University, Radford, VA.; Member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society
May 1997: B. M. at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
-main classical guitar instructor, Manuel Barrueco; guitar coach Julian Gray
-Minor Degree in Piano Performance

CONCERTS (Highlights from 2012-present)
* July 24, 2015: Solo Concert at St Cuthberts Hall in Bedford, UK (shared the stage with visiting American guitarist, Jordan Taylor)
* April 17, 2015: Concert at the SAE Institute, shared with the de Parys Trio, sponsored by The Oxford Guitar Society
* March 14, 2015: St. Michael at the North Gate duo recital with Raymond Burley in Oxford, England
* February 20, 2015: UK Debut- Recital at St. Cuthbert’s Hall in Bedford, UK
* February 7 & 8, 2015: Grand Legacy Studio Showcase Recitals, Houston, TX
* November 6, 2014: Rear Window Listening Room with Richard Smith in Ganado, TX
* November 4, 2014: Recital & Master class at Laredo Community College in Laredo, TX
* November 2, 2014: Marchione Luthier, Studio Recital Series in Houston, TX
* May 31, 2014: ‘Classical Minds’ Fundraising Concert in Organ Recital Hall at University of Houston, Texas
* May 17, 2014: Presti (classical guitar trio) in Concert at Frisco School of Music
* March 9, 2014: Chamber Music Concert at Anchorage Lutheran Church with Tamara McCoy, singer and pianist in Anchorage, AK
* March 7, 2014 : Solo concert for the Performing Arts Society of Kenai in Soldotna, AK at the Christ Lutheran Church
* March 5-6, 2014: Outreach Concerts: Mountain View Elementary, Kenai Skyview High School,
Soldotna Kenai Central High School in Kenai, AK through the Performing Arts Society of Kenai
* March 3, 2014: Solo and Chamber Music Concert (with pianist Tamara McCoy) at University
Of Alaska at Anchorage in Alaska
* March 1, 2014: Solo Salon Concert-Tom Begich Series in Anchorage, AK
* September 21, 2013: Presti in Concert at the Grand Canyon Guitar Society in Flagstaff, AZ
* September 20, 2013: Presti Master class and Concert at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ
* September 18, 2013: Presti CD Release Concert at Sandia Prep in Albuquerque, NM
* February 23, 2013: Sabine Madriguera Memorial Concert at University of Texas at Dallas; Solo concert and Presti concert
* November, 16, 2012: Solo concert and master class at Peck School of the Arts at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* November, 11, 2012: Duo Athena (Sandra Johnson, soprano and Valerie Hartzell, guitar) at Chapel on the Hill in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
* October 12, 2012: Troubadours Recital Series at Wofford College with Presti in Spartanburg, SC
* October 11, 2012: Master Class and concert at the East Carolina University Recital Series with Presti in Greenville, NC
* October 9, 2012: Master Class and concert at Weaver Academy with Presti in Greensboro, NC
* October 7, 2012: Master Class and concert through the Guitar Muse Concert Series with Presti in Columbia, SC
* September 20, 2012: Solo Concert at the University of Alaska, Anchorage in Anchorage, AK
* September 15, 2012: Solo Concert at the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum in Valdez, AK
* March 22, 2012: Solo Concert at the Svenska Margaretakyrkan in Oslo, Norway
* March 2, 2012: Solo Recital and Master Class at the Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC

FESTIVALS (Highlights 2010-present):
* October 24-26, 2014: Recital at the Texas A&M Guitar Symposium & Competition Annenberg Presidential
Conference Center, College Station
* 2004-2014: Director of Annual "Classical Minds" Guitar Festival at Moores School
of Music, University of Houston (Texas Music Festival) in Houston, TX
* July 31-August 4, 2012 : Fort Worth Guitar Guild Music Festival with Presti (all women’s classical guitar trio): master class, private lessons, guitar orchestra and concert in Ft. Worth, TX
* April 14, 2012: Recital Menil Community Arts Festival Performance at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, TX
* March 17-18, 2012: Master class and performance at La Guitaromania in Agen, France
* February 24-26, 2012: Seventh Annual Guitar Orchestra Festival: guitar orchestra, master classes, recital with Presti in Plano, TX
* July 12-22, 2010: ChamberArt Music Festival in Madrid, Spain: performances in Madrid’s Ateneo Theater, Calatravas Cathedral & the Nicolas Salmerón Culture Center

MEDIA APPEARANCES:
* July 22, 2015,On the Iain Lee Show, BBC Three Counties Radio (6-9am)
* March 9, 2015: Classical Classroom, Episode 79: The Women of Classical Guitar celebrating Women’s History Month http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/classical-classroom-episode-79-the-women-of-classical-guitar-with-valerie-hartzell/
* February 19, 2015: BBC Three Counties Radio, Nick Coffer Show-live interview & performances
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hp08s (2:13:45 start and 2:46:23 end)
* February 16, 2015: Skyline Session, recorded three videos for 91.7FM, KUHA and also for PBS
http://houstonpublicmedia.org/news/skyline-sessions-classical-guitarist-valerie-hartzell-returns-to-houston/
* February 6, 2015: 91.7FM, Houston Public Media interview & performance with host St. John Flynn
http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/guitarist-valerie-hartzell-is-back-in-houston-to-perform/
* December 23, 2014: BBC Three Counties Radio – Iain Lee Show (95.5 FM), UK
* June 10, 2014: Performance teasers, featured interview and performance on Houston Fox26 News on both the 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. television shows in Texas
Short clip: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/clip/10251323/texas-music-festival-at-university-of-houston-throughout-june
* June 10, 2014: Interview and performance on Houston Public Media with St.John Flynn on 91.7FM, KUHA
Houston NPR: http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/news/valerie-hartzell-on-the-2014-classical-minds-guitar-festival/
* June 9, 2014: Classical Classroom, Episode 50 with host Dacia Day, Houston’s NPR 91.7FM:
http://houstonpublicmedia.org/news/classical-classroom-episode-50-shredding-on-classical-guitar-valerie-hartzell/
* June 9, 2014, Canada radio station CKWR, 98.5FM: Women in Music with host Tom Quick featured Ponce's Sonata III from Ex Tenebris Lux. http://www.valeriehartzell.com/track/714905/ckwr-98-5-fm?feature_id=150845&trackship_id=809623
* March 18, 2014, Concert Review in the Peninsula Clarion:
http://peninsulaclarion.com/dispatch/2014-03-17/valerie-hartzells-performance-makes-string-theory-reality
* March 6, 2014: Interview and LIVE performance on KDLL (NPR of Kenai):
http://www.kdll.org/no-miracles-no-freebird-just-hard-work/
* Radio interview for KSRM 920AM (http://radiokenai.net/)
* June 11, 2013: On the “Front Row” with host St. John Flynn in promotion of the Lecture Recital given by Andy Mitchell with myself premiering his new work Anthemusa. This was also the first performance of this work on National Radio (91.7FM, KUHA) http://www.thefrontrow.org/articles/1370952053-Valerie-Hartzell.html
* March 13, 2013: Marc Lester of the Anchorage Daily News produced and filmed a video of Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Tarrega which was filmed in the Alaskan Railroad Train Depot and posted on the Anchorage Daily News web site: http://vimeo.com/61929174
* July 30, 2012: Presti played LIVE on "Classic Cafe" in Dallas on WRR Classical 101.1FM
* August 11, 2011: Solo performance and interview in promotion of the release of “Ex Tenebris Lux” on 91.7FM, KUHA
http://www.thefrontrow.org/articles/1313258098-Valerie-Hartzell---Ex-Tenebris-...-Lux.html
* June 9, 2011: Divergence Vocal Theater with soprano Alison Greene; Program “Evening Star: Beauty Bringer” on the “Front Row” with host St. John Flynn on 91.7FM, KUHA.
http://www.thefrontrow.org/articles/1307746293-Divergence-Vocal-Theater---Evening-Star-Beauty-Bringer.html

PRESS and QUOTES:
* July 19, 2015: Article in the Bedfordshire on Sunday (Leisure Section) with photos by Richard Marsham
http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/student-teacher-different-guitar-classical-St/story-26925657-detail/story.html
* January 25, 2015: Full page article by Judy Riley for the Bedfordshire on Sunday (Leisure Section) with photos by Richard Marsham
http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Val-rie-Hartzell-evening-classical-guitar-music/story-25914131-detail/story.html
* March 6, 2014 Article: interview and photos by Rashah McChesney for the Peninsula Clarion newspaper of Kenai in the Entertainment Section regarding the Performing Arts Society solo concert which took place March 7, 2014 http://peninsulaclarion.com/arts-entertainment/2014-03-05
* March 5th 2014 Article: interview by Jenny Neyman in the Arts & Entertainment Section in the Redoubt Reporter newspaper of Kenai regarding the Performing Arts Society solo concert
* September 2013 No. 596, No 9, Gendai Guitar Magazine article, Letter from New York by Julia Crowe
* Interview regarding the 10th Anniversary of the 'Classical Minds' Festival & Competition (2013), held at University of Houston, in the Houston Chronicle Blog written by Mike Emery.
http://blog.chron.com/creativepride/2013/06/six-questions-for-six-string-queen-valerie-hartzell/
* Article on Sunday, March 24th, 2013 in the Anchorage Daily News, front page of the Entertainment Section featuring an interview, photo (taken by ADN’s Marc Lester) and announcement regarding the March 24th concert
* Review of “Ex Tenebris Lux” CD in March/April 2012 issue of Fanfare Magazine written by Lynn Rene Bayley
* http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/business-being-diva/2011/oct/6/valerie-hartzell-out-darkness-light/
* Classical Guitar Magazine: Letter from New York by Julia Crowe, published in February 2010 (http://www.juliacrowe.com/2010pdf/2-10LFNY.pdf)
* Review of the 2007 ‘Classical Minds’ Guitar Institute in Arts Hound Magazine written by Alison Young, Assistant Producer to the “Front Row,” 88.7FM, KUHF
* Review of the 2006 “Classical Minds” Guitar Institute in Soundboard Magazine, Vol. 32, No. 3-4 written by Frank Koonce
* Fanfare Magazine says of “Ex Tenebris Lux”:
"Hartzell very obviously loves her instrument and the music she plays on it�[she] proves herself to be a master at creating moods�"
* Iain Lee, from the Iain Lee Show on BBC Three Counties Radio in England:
"You are properly brilliant...you're amazing, I would suggest."
* Elliot Frank, Director of the East Carolina Guitar Festival and Competition:
“Hartzell plays with spirit and verve and her musical ideas are invariably thought provoking.”
* Barbara Christian, President of the Performing Arts Society in Kenai:
“A mesmerizing evening of virtuoso classical guitar: Valerie Hartzell is one with the guitar and the world classics she translates to her rapt audience; there is no barrier between the exquisitely rendered music and the listener.”
* Award Winning Composer & Guitarist Michael Nicolella says of “Ex Tenebris Lux”
"Beautiful playing!! The well-known pieces are all given a thoughtful and insightful interpretation (I especially liked the Ponce) and the lesser known works are a very welcome addition - especially Olga [Amelkina-Vera]'s piece."
* Andy Mitchell, Composer of Drift says of “Ex Tenebris Lux”
"Valerie plays Drift with a gentle, sensitive dynamic contour and achieves great separation when defining the different voices. Her color variation and expressive phrasing really help to emphasize the pensive character I intended when writing Drift."

COMPETITIONS:
* May 2014: 3rd Prize Winner in the Dagenham’s Got Talent, Effective Entertainments in Dagenham, UK
* August 2003: First person to win 92.1 FM's K-Artist of the Month Contest
* March 9, 2002; 2nd Place Winner of the Portland Solo Guitar Competition: Portland, OR
* April 2001: Finalist in Appalachian State Guitar Competition; Boone, NC
* March 30, 2001: 1st Place Winner of the 10th International Guitar Competition ‘Simone Salmaso’ in Viareggio, It
* July 2000: Finalist in East Carolina University Competition; Greenville, NC
* June 11, 2000 : 1st Place Winner of the ‘Concours de Guitare Classique Heitor Villa-Lobos’: Nice, Fr

RECORDINGS:
Presti- Release in September 2013 and was recorded at the NPR studios in Houston, TX. Presti is a trio with members Olga Amelkina-Vera, Valerie Hartzell and Lynn McGrath
Ex Tenebris Lux – Released in August 2011 through Soundset Recordings and was recorded at the NPR studios in Houston, TX
Fuoco! First solo cd released on September 27th, 2002

www.valeriehartzell.com

Languages Spoken

Experience & Qualifications

General Experience

My concert career has taken me to Europe, Canada, the U.S. and I have appeared on television in Nice, FR and Houston, TX. I have also been featured on National Public Radio in Texas and Alaska, the show “Women in Music” which is broadcast on CKWR, 98.5 FM Canada, and on the Iain Lee Show on the BBC Three Counties Radio in the UK.
Several guitar magazines and newspapers have featured me including Bedfordshire on Sunday (England), Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), Soundboard Magazine (United States), Classical Guitar Magazine (UK), and Gendai Magazine (Japan).
I have performed in over 30 festivals, including East Carolina University Competition and Festival in Greenville, NC, the 2010 ChamberArt Music Festival in Madrid, Spain, the Pennsylvania Academy of Music Festival where I shared the stage with Eliot Fisk, Guitaromania in Agen, France, and at the Menil Community Arts Festival Performance at the Rothko Chapel in Houston.
As a solo classical guitarist, I have performed for the New York City Classical Guitar Society, at Arizona State University, University of Texas at Dallas, Svenska Margaretakyrkan in Oslo, Norway, University of Alaska at Anchorage, Peck School of the Arts (University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin), the Grand Canyon Guitar Society, through the Performing Arts Society of Kenai, Alaska and at the SAE Institute in Oxford, UK sponsored by the Oxford Guitar Society. I have also collaborated with the Houston Grand Opera at the Rienzi Recital Series, the Kingwood Pops Orchestra and with the Houston Chamber Choir.

Qualifications & Training

I am a prizewinner in 8 international competitions including 1st prizes at the 10th International Guitar Competition “Simone Salmaso” in Italy and at the Concours de Guitare Classique Heitor Villa-Lobos in France.
My Bachelor’s is from Peabody Conservatory where I studied with Manuel Barrueco on scholarship and my Master’s Degree is from Radford University where she I was awarded a Graduate Teaching Fellowship.

Other Information

Relevant Skills

Two recordings; Ex Tenebris...Lux, a solo project and Presti, an ensemble project, which were both recorded at the National Public Radio studios in Houston, Texas.
As a private instructor, my students have received scholarships to prominent universities, such as University of Texas, Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, Texas State University, Arizona State University, University of Louisville, and University of North Texas. Many of my students have won national competitions or placed in international competitions such as the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America. I have 20 years of teaching experience and many times actors have to play an instrument in theatre or film. Teaching them where to place their hands and basic guitar knowledge is something I am qualified for. Of course, I have taught all levels from complete beginners to professional guitarists.

Interests & Hobbies

rambling through the English countryside with my husband and 2 rescue dogs, traveling around Europe (been to Norway, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain), reading, watching movies, love mystery shows, entertaining friends

Miscellaneous Information

www.valeriehartzell.com