Val Zamora has won the hearts of concert goers across the U.S., in Canada, Europe, and, most recently, through her tours of Central and South America. Her refreshing interpretations bring new vigor and depth to the Classical repertoire, and she displays a technique that dazzles her audiences. Although most noted for Beethoven and the Romantic repertoire, she portrays the same ingenuity of interpretation and style to the Baroque and contemporary works. Ms. Zamora's playing is marked by her ability to draw her audiences through the music with a storytelling capacity. She has been praised not only for her technical ease and her lyricism, but for creating a pure sense of a musical truth while performing. The language she creates at the keyboard speaks to the audience with subtle and sometimes dramatic inflections comparable to speech which renders a unique portrayal of the music, both intimate and passionate. She has been engaged at hundreds of venues, including Carnegie, Yerba Buena, regional civic centers, universities and colleges, schools, convention centers and community centers. Several of her concerts have helped raise funds for children with cancer, and raise awareness for those with unique-abilities.
Ms. Zamora is a member of the National Music Teachers Association. Previously, she taught all levels of piano privately and for two years at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. During her assistantship in graduate school, she also taught classes and maintained a private studio. She enjoys working with students and passing down the traditions of the art of piano playing. In fact, she prefers to present master classes, workshops, or lectures along with her recitals. Ms. Zamora also holds lectures on how we hear sound, the unlimited sensitivity we use to communicate through music. With her unique perceptions of sound and music, she has been referred to as the Temple Grandin of the music world. Recently, she has been combining her perspectives with the research on Beethoven with the hope to shed new interpretations on his compositions. Ms. Zamora studied with some of the most outstanding pedagogues and performers of the times. Among the many, the list includes Adele Marcus, Einar Steen-Noekleberg, Marvin Blickenstaff, and Walter Hautzig. She received most of her conservatory training at the Hochschule fuer Music und Theater in Hannover, Germany. She also attended the Juilliard School in New York City and the Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore. She has been awarded scholarships at various music festivals both in Europe and the USA, including the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. In addition to festival scholarships, she has received numerous grants and academic scholarships. She has been interviewed by magazines, newspapers, and appeared on television and radio. With a performance schedule sometimes running over thirty concerts a year, Ms. Zamora's heart remains steadfast with practice and performance. She also enjoys the outdoors, and preparing an occasional gourmet meal. Currently, she resides in North Carolina.