My Biography

From a young age music has played a great part in Waterford-born soprano Valerie Leahy's life. At just eight years old Valerie began taking lessons in piano, guitar and voice. At ten she enrolled in the WITmusic school, which was then known as the WRTC workshops,  to study singing under the guidance of Anne Woodworth, completing all her grades. 

In 1994, she furthered her studies in voice, spending two years at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin,studying under the guidance of Patricia McCarry. During this time Valerie began to receive many awards at various music festivals and feiseanna throughout the country.

In 1996, Valerie returned to the WIT, to take a Bachelor of Arts in music, specialising in performance. She

also achieved a RIAM ASSOCIATED teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama under the Guidance of Mrs. Jane Heffernan.

In 2012 Valerie returned to studying voice again with Regina Hanley in the WIT. During that time, Valerie has achieved her honours advanced recital medal in performance, in May 2014 in which she was awarded a higher achievers award.Valerie is now currently working on her Diploma in performance.

Teaching

Valerie Leahy is a Vocal Teacher at the Waterford Institute of Technolgy for over 14 years. During this time her students have succeeded in winning in both the Dublin and Waterford Feis. Her students also  were awarded high Achievement Awards in their Vocal exams. 

Many of Valerie's past pupils have gone on the study music at third level. Some have achieved outstanding results in their performance exams, have been awardednotable trophies and have agone on to sing professinally.

Valerie specialise in:

Vocal technique

Development and maintaining vocal range

Preparation in  Graded vocal exams at  all levels from beginners to Diploma level

Musical Theatre and Drama

Italian, Latin, English and German Lied Repitoire.

Professional

Over the years Valerie has appeared as  a soprano soloist in many opera, oratorio and concert performances in local, regional and national venues, including the NationalConcert Hall in Dublin.

Selected Roles Include: 

Suzanne in Mozarts the Marraige of Figaro 

Zerlina in Don Giovanni

Dido and the Witch in Purcells Dido and Aeneas

Ortaorios:

With the Wit choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Eric Sweeney

Soprano solo:       Mozart Mass in C

                            Schuberts Mass in B Flat

Valerie  has been a regular performer inWaterford  New Music Week. in which she gave a premier performance  in a new song cycle, written for Soprano and piano, composed by Dr. Marian Ingoldsby 2013

She also performed in The Celebration Mass, which was televised on RTE. This work was composed by Ms julie Quinlan.