Valerie McElroy
Valerie McElroy is a flutist, educator, music arranger and multi-instrumentalist who has traversed the world of music in her teaching and performance. In addition to co-founding Connessa Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting world music by living composers, she is Associate Director of San Diego Youth Symphony and founder of VM Studio, a private music education studio. Ms. McElroy is a regular performer with San Diego-based professional chamber ensemble Connessa (2024 Finalists in Chamber Music, London Classical Music Competition; 2021 Finalists in Chamber Music, The American Prize).
A sought-after soloist, clinician and collaborator, Ms. McElroy regularly conducts at the San Diego Summer Music Institute, directs the Villa Musica Flute Ensemble and formerly served on the board of directors of the San Diego Flute Guild. Her original composition, Journey Chalan for Flute Quartet, had its world premiere at the 2023 National Flute Association Convention. A Chicago native, Ms. McElroy studied at DePaul University with renowned flutists Mary Stolper, Hideko Amano and Jennifer Clippert and has since worked with hundreds of music students in her educational career. Her pedagogy is centered around the development of the whole musician.