Valerie Villa-Kelly

About

Valerie Villa-Kelly is the founder and Creative Director of Encore Experience, LLC, a performing arts education organization serving Western New York since 2013. With over 20 years of experience as a music and theatre educator, Valerie has dedicated her career to teaching music and drama to children and adults of all ages and skill levels. She holds a degree in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia and has taught in both private and public school settings. Before founding Encore Experience, Valerie served as President and Producer for Amherst Players, Inc., a nonprofit community theater company, where she managed productions for seven years. Her professional experience includes work in casting departments for dinner theater productions at Desidario's, contributions to the streaming mini-series "Diary of a Lunatic," and work on Comedy Central's "Joe Pera Christmas Special." Valerie has produced numerous youth musicals including Aladdin Jr., Seussical Jr., and Annie Kids, and has collaborated extensively with producers and casting agents throughout Western New York. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes that "practice makes progress, not perfect," and she creates safe, enriching learning environments where students develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills through music and theater instruction. Valerie's expertise spans piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, brass instruments, percussion, and musical theater voice, making her a versatile educator dedicated to student growth and artistic development.

Education & Qualifications

Bachelor of Music Education, SUNY Fredonia

Teaching Styles