Valerie Sulzinski brings an exceptional blend of experience, talent, and dedication to her role as a music teacher at our school. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Music Performance from SUNY Purchase School of the Arts in 1980, following her studies at the University of Hartford (1975-1977). She also holds a Master of Musical Arts (MMA) in Historical Performance Practice, which deepened her expertise in classical music.

As a freelance musician in New York City, Valerie had the privilege of performing with world-renowned artists such as Johnny Mathis, Judy Collins, Bobby Short, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Doc Severinsen, Yo-Yo Ma, Mannheim Steamroller, Itzhak Perlman, and Isaac Stern, among others. In addition to playing on Broadway, her impressive career includes performances with the Long Island Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company, the Aristedes Dance/Theatre Production Company, the Staten Island Symphony, the Long Island Concert Pops, Radio City Music Hall, the Pro Musica Chamber Ensemble, St. Martin's Symphony, Opera Options, Inc., and numerous chamber music groups. Valerie also toured extensively across Europe and the United States. Her work in commercial studios can be heard on recordings, television, radio, and documentaries.

In addition to her performing career, Valerie has a long history of teaching music. She served as the Professor of Oboe at Long Island University from 1986 to 2020, Five Towns College from 2012 to 2019, and Nassau Community College from 2014 to 2016. She was also recognized as a "Master Teacher" at the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, where she taught from 1999 to 2016. At the elementary level, Valerie taught at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY, from 1999 to 2007, and led the 4th and 5th grade band at Middle Country School District in Centereach, NY, in 2007 and 2008. She maintained a private studio with approximately 20 oboe students each year from 1979 to 2020.

When a lip injury in 2020 ended her music career, Valerie reinvented herself as a copywriter.

A large part of her copywriting business deals with the science of NeuroArts and the study of how the arts, specifically music, change our perception of the world and affect the malleability of the brain. This passion for the arts led her to accept a part-time position teaching music at Middleburg Community Charter School.

Valerie Sulzinski's journey through the world of music and her transition into writing demonstrate her resilience and passion for the arts. She remains committed to nurturing a love of music in her students, helping them develop the skills and confidence to pursue their own creative paths.