BIOGRAPHY
As a native Colombian from Medellín, Valentín began his journey within the creative world from the tender age of six, instinctively exploring the connections between his life experiences and musical encounters. From visiting a farm to hearing Bocherini's Fandango and Bach Passions at home, he drew upon those moments and became fascinated with expressing himself through writing both music and stories. Over time, his curious and innovative nature has remained flexible and driven, which has led him to pursue and experience different artistic facets.
Valentín obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in violin at the EAFIT University in Medellín, Colombia. He has also studied chamber music at the Gymnasium and Musik Institut in Erlangen, Germany. During this period, he wrote his first two string quartets as well as his Sonata for Violin and Viola. In 2015, he premiered his Sonata for Violin and Piano in memory of his grandfather during a recital. As part of his Master’s studies, he researched the Violin Solo Sonatas by the Colombian Composer, Roberto Pineda Duque, and his musical findings were published in the EAFIT University archives. In December 2020, he premiered his Christmas Fantasy for Violin Solo in a recital in El Retiro, Colombia.
Over the years, Valentín’s interests in various musical forms have inspired him to compose four string quartets, a standalone Fugue for string quartet, two symphonies, a symphonic poem, a violin concerto, a violin fantasy, parts of an opera inspired by Ali Baba’s story, a Concerto da Camera, an orchestral piece called Finale Tragico, and a Rhapsody for violin solo. In February 2023, his Fugue for string quartet received second prize in Composition from the Caneres Music Competition of Vienna.
While exploring the creative path, he has been guided by diverse musical figures such as Mario Gomez Vignes, Andres Posada Saldarriaga, Cecilia Espinosa, Marco Alunno, Joachim Adamczywesk.
Alongside his passion for composition, he has always embraced the joy of being a performer. As a student, he was an active participant in the Periscopio Ensamble, which specialized in contemporary music performance. From 2014 to 2022, he was part of the EAFIT Symphony Orchestra as a tutti violinist, and between 2015 and 2018, second violins principal at Camerata Jaibana, performing as soloist often.
He is currently studying conducting with Maestro Alejandro Posada at the EAFIT University. He was a conductor winner from The 2022 Young Talents competition hosted by Eafit Symphony Orchestra, and he conducted on the winners concert In November 2022. In Novembre 2021 he conducted fragments of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro opera with the Iberacademy orchestra under the stage direction of Marco Gandini. He has also led iberacademy on a concert with Larson’s saxophone concerto ,and has had various academic rehearsals with music from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Bellini, Mendelssohn, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The same institution invited him to assist german conductor Leonard Elschenbroich in november 2022 with the orchestra Fundación Bravura in Cochabamba in Bolivia.