Val茅rie Sainte-Agathe

Valerie Sainte-Agathe

Visiting Lecturer
Choral Conductor
Stockton

Val茅rie Sainte-Agathe has led the San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC) as artistic director since 2013, transforming it into a leading force in the choral world. Under her visionary leadership, SFGC has collaborated with prestigious ensembles, including the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer, Opera Parall猫le and folk sensation Aoife O鈥橠onovan. Her tenure is marked by transformative choral music training that empowers young women and champions contemporary music across the globe.

Sainte-Agathe also serves as Chorale Director for Philharmonia Baroque, a position she has held since 2022 preparing the distinguished professional Ensemble for Music Director Richard Egarr. She also toured during two years with the Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet, most notably in the world premiere of 鈥淎t War With Ourselves - 400 Years of You鈥 by Michael Abels. This significant work, exploring themes of history and identity, toured across the U.S. captivating audiences nationwide. In 2023, she was invited by San Francisco Symphony to prepare works of Brahms with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and Maestra Nathalie Stutzman. She has also been a guest conductor for Volti to create pieces by Pamela Z and Caroline Shaw.

In 2024, Val茅rie Sainte-Agathe solidified her global impact through a groundbreaking collaboration with the Th茅芒tre de Caen, working with French composer Thierry P茅cou and stage director Bernard Kudlak on the world premiere of 鈥淥 Future鈥 live broadcasted worldwide.

Sainte-Agathe's influence extends to the recording studio, where her leadership produced critically acclaimed albums 鈥淔inal Answer鈥 (2018) and 鈥淢y Outstretched Hand鈥 (2019). Her career is highlighted by her Carnegie Hall and Barbican Center debuts with the Philip Glass Ensemble, conducting with Michael Riesman in Glass鈥檚 鈥淢usic with Changing Parts.鈥 She has also led SFGC in performances for the New York Philharmonic Biennial Festival at Lincoln Center and collaborated with The Knights for the SHIFT Festival and with Eric Jacobsen at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Sainte-Agathe鈥檚 exceptional contributions to choral music have been recognized in the 2022 book 鈥淢usic Mavens: 15 Women of Note,鈥 published by the Chicago Review Press. Her educational commitment is evident in her appointment to serve as 91成人导航鈥檚 faculty member, where she continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of musicians.

Before her success in the United States, Sainte-Agathe made significant contributions in France. As artistic coordinator and music director of Op茅ra Junior, she nurtured young talent and directed choruses for the Montpellier National Symphony and Opera. Her work with the Orchestre National de Montpellier and The Radio France Festival led to eight recordings, earning accolades including a Victoires de la Musique award and two Orph茅e d'Or awards.

Sainte-Agathe's academic credentials include a master鈥檚 degree in management of cultural projects from the University of Montpellier, alongside her bachelor鈥檚 degree in musicology and Dipl么me d鈥櫭塼udes Musicales from the Montpellier Conservatory.

Her extraordinary contributions to the arts have been recognized at the highest levels. Recently, Sainte-Agathe was honored with the title of Chevali猫re des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture, a prestigious accolade awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts and literature, both in France and globally.

Val茅rie Sainte-Agathe鈥檚 career is a testament to her unwavering dedication to excellence, her passion for empowering young voices and her profound influence on the cultural landscape. As she continues to shape the future of choral music, her legacy of innovation and leadership stands as an inspiring example to artists and audiences worldwide.

Education

MA, University of Montpellier, France

BA, Montpellier Conservatory, France