Valeria Penaranda
About
Valeria Peñaranda is a versatile Bolivian artist based in Miami, FL. As a singer-songwriter,
pianist, producer, arranger, and sound engineer, she has captivated audiences on international
stages such as the Suena Caracas Latin American Music Festival, where she shared the
spotlight with icons like Café Tacuba and Cultura Profética, the International Folk Festival, and
the Latin American VIVE Music Festival at the prestigious Berklee Performance Center. In
Bolivia, she has left her mark at Festijazz and Festiblues, and recently showcased her talent
alongside Argentine legend Leo Dan at Miami’s renowned James Knight Center.
A recipient of scholarships from Berklee College of Music and the Frost School of Music, Valeria
combines academic excellence with artistic brilliance. In 2024, she was recognized as one of 10
women selected for the Latin GRAMMY Leading Ladies of Entertainment Mentorship Program,
where she received guidance from influential leaders in the Latin music industry.
Since 2017, Valeria has also been a dedicated educator, teaching voice and piano to students of
all ages. She specializes in contemporary vocal styles like rock, pop, soul, musical theater, and
Latin, while her piano instruction follows a classical approach rooted in conservatory standards.
She further honed her teaching expertise as a Teaching Assistant at the Frost School of Music,
focusing on Music Industry and Media Scoring & Production.
With years of performance, production, and teaching expertise, she brings a dynamic and
well-rounded approach to helping students excel in their musical journey.
Teaching Style
My first objective is to introduce the instrument to the student. The first step is always familiarization, whether it's voice or piano. For example, for a piano student, I would play the high and low keys, make him do the same, press the pedals, etc.
The second objective is to teach the best posture to have with the instrument, I wouldn't want any of my students to get hurt because of bad posture habits.
My last objective is to introduce the basic concepts of music theory, names of the notes, understanding the basics of rhythm so eventually the student would be able to play sheet music and play simple tunes.
Curriculum
For voice:
Some of the books that I use are "Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice" by Seth Riggs, "The Contemporary Singer: Elements of Vocal Technique" by Anne Peckham and Ear training books used at Berklee College of Music.
For piano:
Some books that I use are: "Alfred's Basic Piano Library", "Bastien Piano Basics", "The Adult Piano Adventures". Depending on the age and knowledge of the students, I vary my methods and lessons' dynamics.