Meet Dr. Valencia Thevenin
Violinist, Conductor & Recording Artist
Dr. Valencia Thevenin is a violinist, conductor, music educator, and scholar whose career spans higher education, orchestral performance, conducting, and community music education.
She currently serves as an orchestra and piano instructor with the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Previously, Dr. Thevenin served as Assistant Professor and Director of the ECSU-Albemarle Symphony Orchestra at Elizabeth City State University.
She completed advanced orchestral training at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she performed with the USM Symphony Orchestra and shared the stage with internationally acclaimed artists including Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Ray Charles.
As a professional violinist, she has also performed with the New England Philharmonic and the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston.
A respected conductor and educational leader, Dr. Thevenin has served as President of the Southeast Region of the College Orchestra Directors Association and as Assistant Conductor of the Mississippi Youth Symphony Orchestra.
She has also guest conducted youth orchestras and choirs throughout Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Maine.
Dr. Thevenin earned Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees from Atlantic Union College, a Master of Music in Music Education from University of Mississippi, and a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Mississippi, where she became the first female of African descent to earn that degree. Her scholarly research focuses on string music education.
In 2022, Dr. Thevenin received a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council to support the 2022 Albemarle String Project, an initiative designed to increase access to high-quality string education for students in Albemarle County, North Carolina.
Throughout her career, she has remained committed to expanding opportunities in music education through teaching, research, performance, and community engagement.
A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Thevenin continues to inspire students and audiences through her dedication to excellence in music education and orchestral performance.
Connect with Dr. Thevenin
Have a general inquiry, press request, or want to discuss a custom musical collaboration?
Leave a brief note, and I will get back to you shortly to begin the conversation.