Holy Heart Alumnae Choir our

Dr. Valerie Long, is once again having a ball directing and accompanying the Holy Heart of Mary Alumnae Choir (HHMAC).

She received her undergraduate degrees in music and music education from Memorial University in Newfoundland. Upon completion of these degrees, Valerie taught in a number of schools in St. John's, Ottawa and Madison, Wisconsin. She received her Master of Music in Choral Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Doctorate in Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from the same institution.

Valerie is also an accomplished musical theatre director/pianist, with numerous productions to her credit and has earned a reputation for being an engaging and highly respected choral director, adjudicator and clinician. A true believer that anyone can sing, Valerie enjoys incorporating audience sing-a-long selections in concerts and community outreach programs with HHMAC.

In 2008, Valerie was awarded Music Educator of the Year, from the Music Industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2010, she received the Founder’s Award for achievement in the arts from Holy Heart of Mary High School. In 2012, Valerie received the Torch Bearer’s Award from World Harmony Run, a global initiative recognizing her commitment to the importance of bringing harmony into her community and into the world. In February, 2013, Valerie was presented with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In June 2012, the Holy Heart Alumnae choir participated in a five day international choral festival in Northern Italy, followed by touring and performing through Austria. In 2014 the choir travelled to Portugal and Spain and in 2016 traveled back to northern Italy for the Alta Pusteria International Choral Festival and then on to Croatia. In 2018 the choir traveled to Greece and performed throughout the islands including performance aboard a cruise of the Greek Isles. In 2020 we are planning a trip to Budapest and Prague. The choir and Valerie continue to spread the joy of singing and performing around the world!

Among her many activities, Valerie also directs the all-female choir Les Ms. who have, through their efforts with choral concerts entitled Les Ms. and Friends Sing for Care, raised over $110,000 for the Dr. H. Bliss Cancer Care Centre. As well, over a 10 week period in spring 2015 Valerie and HHMAC brought together 115 male and female voices for the Lets Make A Choir project. This project, under Valerie's direction and guidance wowed the audience with the Let's Make A Choir (LMAC) debut appearance during the HHMAC 15th Anniversary Celebration, May 2015. LMAC is still going strong and is now in its sixth year.