Val Vigoda

Vigoda was admitted to Princeton University at the age of 14, withdrawing after one year to complete her classical violin training. She returned after a few years, graduating with honors and a degree in sociology.{{Cite web|url=http://yegs.org/yegs-hall-of-fame-valerie-vigoda-1967/|title=Valerie Vigoda: (1967 – ) :: Young Exceptionally Gifted Students|website=yegs.org|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

Vigoda founded the musical trio GrooveLily in 1994, originally naming it The Valerie Vigoda Band, along with Brendan Milburn and Gene Lewin.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/groovelily/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229032813/http://www.mtv.com/artists/groovelily/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 29, 2016|title=Groovelily {{!}} Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates {{!}} MTV|website=MTV Artists|access-date=December 28, 2016}} In the 1990s, Vigoda toured with Cyndi Lauper, Joe Jackson, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.{{Cite news |date=December 23, 2013 |title=Valerie Vigoda |newspaper=Wood Violins |url=http://www.woodviolins.com/valerie-vigoda/ |access-date=December 18, 2016}}

Vigoda has a one-woman show Just Getting Good in which she both sings and plays the six-string electric violin while utilizing live-looping. Her work has received positive feedback, with The New York Times calling it "exhilarating", The Boston Globe describing it as "a thrilling trip", The Washington Post praising Vigoda for "unleashing a diva-worthy torrent of passion", and Palo Alto Weekly crediting her as "truly amazing, an awesome vision of embodied musicality, moving as one with her violin, making it sing and singing along with it in a voice both smoky and angelic".{{Cite web|url=http://www.cadencearts.com/ValerieVigoda.html|title=Cadence Arts Network, Inc. – Valerie Vigoda|website=cadencearts.com|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

She is the lyricist and star of the musical Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, which has been produced at ArtsEmerson,{{Cite news|url=http://press.emerson.edu/artsemerson/2015/09/23/a-season-of-strong-women/|title=A Season of Strong Women|newspaper=ArtsEmerson Blog|access-date=December 18, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://artsemerson.org/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=mediakit-shackelton&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=|title=ArtsEmerson: Media Kit – Ernest Shackleton|website=Emerson College (ArtsEmerson)|access-date=December 18, 2016}} George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/nyregion/review-a-zany-version-of-the-romance-ernest-shackleton-loves-me-in-new-brunswick.html|title=Review: A Zany Version of the Romance 'Ernest Shackleton Loves Me' in New Brunswick|last=Sommers|first=Michael|date=May 2, 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=December 18, 2016}} and Seattle Repertory.{{Cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/lsquoernest-shackleton-loves-mersquo-a-modern-expedition-to-romance/|title='Ernest Shackleton Loves Me': a modern expedition to romance|date=April 22, 2014|newspaper=The Seattle Times|access-date=December 18, 2016}} The show went into previews off-Broadway at Second Stage on April 14 and opened May 7.{{Cite news|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Prospect-Theater-to-Continue-2016-IGNITE-Series-with-35MM-and-STRIKING-12-in-Concert-20161003|title=Prospect Theater to Continue 2016 IGNITE Series with 35MM and STRIKING 12 in Concert|author=BWW News Desk|newspaper=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=December 18, 2016}} She has also co-written musicals along with longtime collaborator Brendan Milburn, including Beautiful Poison,{{Cite news|url=https://namt.org/festivals/2014/#musicals|title=26th Annual Festival of New Musicals {{!}} NAMT|newspaper=NAMT|access-date=December 18, 2016}} Sleeping Beauty Wakes,{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/04/12/rockers-move-into-live-theater/|title=Rockers move into live theater|newspaper=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|access-date=December 18, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mccarter.org/sleepingbeautywakes/pages/brendan-valerie.html|title=McCarter Theatre: Sleeping Beauty Wakes|website=mccarter.org|access-date=December 18, 2016}} Striking 12,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/13/theater/reviews/13stri.html|title=Striking 12 – Theater – Review|last=Isherwood|first=Charles|date=November 13, 2006|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=December 18, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/groovelily-musical-striking-12-will-play-nyc-dec-26-31-film-project-planned-com-156323|title=GrooveLily Musical, Striking 12, Will Play NYC Dec. 26–31; Film Project Planned {{!}} Playbill|website=Playbill|access-date=December 18, 2016}} Long Story Short (musical),{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/27/theater/theater-listings-for-march-27-april-2.html?nytmobile=0|title=Theater Listings for March 27 – April 2 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 26, 2015 |access-date=December 18, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/13/theater/review-long-story-short-till-death-do-us-part.html?nytmobile=0|title=Review: 'Long Story Short,' Till Death Do Us Part |last=Soloski|first=Alexis|newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 12, 2015 |access-date=December 18, 2016}} Midsummer,{{Cite web|url=http://www.valvigoda.com/midsummer|title=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|website=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|access-date=December 18, 2016}} Toy Story: The Musical,{{Cite web|url=http://www.valvigoda.com/toy-story--the-musical|title=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|website=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|access-date=December 18, 2016}} and Wheelhouse.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valvigoda.com/wheelhouse|title=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|website=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|access-date=December 18, 2016}} Vigoda has also co-written and contributed the music for tracks in Disney films and television shows including Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue, Pixie Hollow Games, and Secret of the Wings.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valvigoda.com/film|title=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|website=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

In 2023, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts presented a staged reading of her new musical Miss Foxhole 1975 with a book by Joe DiPietro and music & lyrics by Ryan O’Connell and Val Vigoda. The show is based on a true story about Jill Morgenthaler who joined the first class of women admitted to cadet training in 1975 at Fort Bragg. The narrative tracks how the women faced different trials than the men - including an order to participate in a beauty pageant.{{Cite web |last=GANS |first=ANDREW |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/cast-set-for-staged-reading-of-new-musical-miss-foxhole-1975 |website=Playbill.com}}

Vigoda is an artist mentor with the "Electrify Your Strings" program, a musical education experience created to introduce and encourage young string musicians and choral singers to perform rock 'n' roll.{{Cite news |last=Neubaum |first=Tierra |title=Look Around Lubbock: LISD Orchestra |url=http://www.fox34.com/story/33743202/look-around-lubbock-lisd-orchestra |access-date=December 18, 2016}} She has taught at Stanford University, Emerson College, and the Berklee College of Music.{{Cite web |title=Val VigodaORCHESTRA/CHOIR " Electrify Your Strings |url=http://www.electrifyyourstrings.com/valvigoda/ |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=electrifyyourstrings.com}}

Vigoda began presenting keynote concerts at national conferences in 2018,{{Cite web |last=Hostutler |first=Mark |date=2018-07-17 |title=Peak Aliveness: A Musically Uplifting Keynote on Living a Fearless Life This Evening in West Chester |url=https://vista.today/2018/07/peak-aliveness-a-musically-uplifting-keynote-on-living-a-fearless-life-july-17-in-west-chester/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=VISTA.Today |language=en-US}} combining her music with personal stories and an inspirational message of resilience through creativity and connection.{{Cite web |title=Keynote Presentation by Val Vigoda: Overcoming Fear With Optimism, Resilience, and Courage |url=https://americanstaffing.net/sw22/sessions/item/keynote-presentation-by-val-vigoda-overcoming-fear-with-optimism-resilience-and-courage/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Staffing World 2022 |language=en-US}}

{{Cite web|url=https://groovelily.bandcamp.com/music|title=GrooveLily|website=GrooveLily|access-date=December 28, 2016}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4133359/|title=Valerie Vigoda|publisher=IMDb|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

Along with Brendan Milburn, Vigoda has won the Jonathan Larson Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, the LA Ovation Award for Best Musical, and the ASCAP Richard Rodgers Award for her work.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valvigoda.com/about|title=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|website=Valerie Vigoda Official Website|access-date=December 18, 2016}} They were also nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical (Striking 12) in 2006.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lortel.org/Archives/CreditableEntity/33793|title=Valerie Vigoda – Lortel Archives|website=lortel.org|access-date=December 28, 2016}} Vigoda was nominated for an Annie Award in 2012 for Music in a Television Production (Pixie Hollow Games) and in 2013 for Music in an Animated Feature Production (Secret of the Wings).{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4133359/|title=Valerie Vigoda|publisher=IMDb|access-date=December 18, 2016}}

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• {{Official website|https://valvigoda.com/}}

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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:American women singer-songwriters

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters

Category:20th-century American women singers

Category:20th-century American violinists

Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters

Category:21st-century American women singers

Category:21st-century American violinists

Category:American women violinists