Valeria Serrano is a senior at Interlochen Arts Academy, studying the viola.
Originally from Puerto La Cruz, Anzoategui, Venezuela, Val recently performed music of Ralph Vaughan Williams in IPR's Studio A.
She is also aJack Kent Cooke Young Artist and will be featured on a future episode of From the Top.
She not only received a financial award to support audition travel and instrument care, but she also participated in From the Top's Learning and Media Lab.
Val said it was an incredibly valuable experience: "We learned a lot about how to be citizen artists. I feel really supported with everything that From the Top has done for me."
With collaborative pianist Susan Snyder, Val performed the first movement of Group 1 from the Suite for Viola by Ralph Vaughan Williams in IPR's Studio A.
Even though this Vaughan Williams piece isn't as technically difficult as some other viola concertos, she says it offers a lot of opportunity for expression.
"I'm really big on becoming an actress through my playing," Val explained.
Turns out that Val is also a gifted singer, and she sang a bit of "Viajera del Rio," a song by the Venezuelan composer Manuel Yánez.
Venezuelan violist and vocalist Val does have one interest that doesn't start with the letter "v": she loves to roller skate!
Val Serrano is a student of Renee Skerik at Interlochen Arts Academy.
Stefan Wiebe engineered this edition of Studio A.
