Valerie is currently at the end of her PhD in composition at the University of York, where she is an AHRC award holder under the supervision of Professor Nicola Lefanu. She formerly studied with Bill Brooks during her Masters degree in composition, also at York, which she completed in 2004. During this time Valerie was the holder of the University’s Nonhebel Prize. Valerie has also studied composition with Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Robert Keeley whilst she was an undergraduate music student at King’s College London.  Her works have been selected for workshops and performances by various established performers and festivals including the Goldberg String Ensemble (York), Maraissiene Consort (Cheltenham Festival) Orkest de Ereprijs (the Netherlands), Atsuko Kamura (ex Frank Chicken), (York). Most recently her work was chosen for workshop and performance by the renowned cellist Rohan de Saram. Valerie also studied the violin with Diana Cummings and is now involving herself, as a performer, with free improvisation after a recent improvisation course with George Lewis. She has her first gig soon with local improv hero Gwilly Edmondez.