BIO

Sanna Valvanne is an innovative conductor from Finland, specialized in children's and youth choirs. She is  recognized worldwide for her holistic and creative choral method: “Making Music With Body and Soul”, which combines vocal expression with movement and drama. She is a popular clinician and guest conductor with choirs around the world. 

Sanna has made frequent appearances at renowned international choral festivals, such as Festival 500 (St. John's, Canada) and many Europa Cantat (European Federation of Young Choirs) events. In 2008, she was a selected presenter at the 8th World Symposium on Choral Music in Copenhagen, and was chosen by the IFCM (International Federation for Choral Music) to the Songbridge Artistic Committee. During the past two years Sanna has been guest conducting in Taiwan, Canada, USA, Israel, Palestine, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, and at the Europa Cantat 2009 Festival in the Netherlands.  Some of the highlights include her Save the Barbies! - Around the World concert in 2009 with the Tapiola Choir, in Finland, and working with adult choirs and Simon Carrington at the Sing Aotearoa 09 festival, in New Zealand.  This August 2010 she conducted the brand new initiative Corona Children's Chorus Camp for 100 young singers in Queens, New York. This was the start of the Corona Youth Music Project, inspired by El Sistema, the famous  Venezuelan Youth Orchestra Movement. In 2011 she will be guest conducting and giving workshops among others in Norway, Germany, Spain, Denmark and Italy. 

Since 2005, Sanna has been living in the USA, where she brought her cutting edge approach to the North American Choral Company, as its artistic director (2005-2008). In Finland, her children’s and youth choir program with the Kameleontti Choirs, was loved by children of all ages. The popularity led to a series of  TV programs on the Finnish National Broadcasting Company, featuring a musical journey around the world with Sanna's method and choirs.  

Sanna has her Master’s Degree in Music, from the Sibelius Academy, in Helsinki. She is a  graduate from the world-famous Tapiola Choir. Sanna sang in the choir for 13 years and continued as its vocal trainer and conductor's assistant to both Professor Erkki Pohjola and Kari Ala-Pöllänen.