March 2023

NPR Tiny Desk Video Submitted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On March 11, my trio Crooked Sparrow, made a live video performance for submission to NPR’s 2023 Tiny Desk contest. Thanks to our friends in the alley behind the H street corridor in DC, Melissa Duane & photographer Dave Peterson who was our video man. Featured are Crooked Sparrow members Kevin Dudley on guitar, Jen Smith on fiddle, and myself on guitar & vocal. The song is Por Que (Valeria Stewart ©2021 BMI). Submissions will be reviewed until a final winner is chosen in May.

 

NPR 2023 Tiny Desk video submissions

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December 2022

MASC 39 Honorable Mention in Americana category, Yellow Flowers (©️V.Stewart & K.Dudley)

In August of 2022 I started writing a new song, Yellow Flowers, and the concept was that sometimes the threads of a friendship can fray, yet after some time and distance we are left with the memory of a small kindness. The flowers, and the friendship, offered to me during a particularly hard time in my life, became the theme of this song. Kevin Dudley and I worked intensely to shape the lyrics and the arrangement into its current form, and its been one of our best collaborations. Listen to it here from our November concert opener at the Sevareid House.

 

July 2022

Upcoming travel and performances in conjunction with singer-songwriter the Grey A's new record release

It has been a busy summer between our Crooked Sparrow trio's vacations, farmers markets and other local music gigs. We are also rehearsing with our friend the Grey A as we gear up to accompany him for his D8 Your Elders record release in Washington, DC and Nashville, Tennessee. Find info on those shows here. Several of us will be traveling to Nashville for Grey's record release and AMERICANAFEST which will take place September 13-17, 2022.

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October 2021

The song “Por Que” was selected to be a weekly winner in the 2021John Lennon Songwriting Contest

Por Que was written/arranged in early 2021. It was recorded at my home studio with accompanying guitar by Kevin Dudley. Listen to the rough demo here. I hope to record many new songs in 2021! 

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Interview with JLS Contest Host:

Hear my conversation with Jenna Hurtzig about the award on Instagram.

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July 2021

Next Phase for Valeria Stewart, of Luna

I have been busy working on my next Lunar 'phase' or project, with my friend musician Kevin Dudley. Kevin recorded with Luna on our EP The Alchemist's Journey in 2020. This summer we will be playing our own original songs, plus loads of new material we've been trying out as part of a new collaboration called "Crooked Sparrow".  We will be joined by Jen Smith on fiddle. See Shows for scheduled performances.

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January 2020

Four Luna Songs Receive 2020 MASC (Mid Atlantic Song Contest) Awards!!

The judges have made their selections for the 37th Annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest sponsored by the Songwriters’ Association of Washington. The following Luna (Valeria Stewart & Kathleen Huber) songs received awards:

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The Alchemist's Journey was chosen for the Finalist award for the Open category 

Keeping My Distance was chosen for the Finalist for the Covid-19 song category

Nothing Left Behind was chosen for the Honorable Mention for the Country/Bluegrass category

This Time was chosen for the Honorable Mention for the Open category

 

We are so happy about this honor, and grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.

 

March 2020

NEW EP streaming now!

Luna's first EP, The Alchemist's Journey is now available on most streaming platforms.

Recording began in March 2020 at Recording Arts Studio, with Producer & Engineer Marco Delmar, and continued through Covid19 with many safety measures in place at the Arlington studio. Expert accompaniment was done by Guitarist Kevin Dudley, Violinist Marcy Cochran, Bassist Jon Nazdin, and Percussion by Tyler Buisch and Jillian Matundan. The Alchemist's Journey is the title track, a song inspired by Paulo Coelho's novel, The Alchemist. The story describes a shepherd in search of a treasure, a legend. In the end he learns to listen to his heart and return home for "there lies the calm", the gift.

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EP Cover artwork is by collage artist Cristina Clarimon, Madcollage creator.

 

From The Alchemist's Journey:

I’ve been running to you in a restless driving wind

From mountain top to desert, seeking what was lost within

Always looking out like a beacon in a storm

Every dream now leads me to an open door.

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July 2020

Luna receives Individual Arts Grant!

Great NEWS! Luna is delighted to announce that we’ve received an award from the Arlington Arts Council in support of our submitted proposal for their program, “Enriching Lives: Arlington Arts and Culture Strategy”. The grant is funded through Arlington County and was selected to promote music and arts in the County for the grant period July 2020 to July 2021.

 

Luna will spearhead an effort to bring together local high school students, working music and visual artists, audio and broadcasting professionals, local arts organizations, and Arlington libraries and businesses to conduct two public performances in Arlington County in 2021. The grant will include the creation of a new musical composition in collaboration with Arlington artist, Val Makepeace. The new song and photographic exhibit will debut at the May 2021 public event, tentatively scheduled for the Westover Library.

 

The grant performances and artwork will highlight Luna’s many collaborations and connections among Arlington’s creatives and organizations that support them. We are honored by the grant award and are thrilled to begin work on it.

 

January 2019

Five Luna Songs Receive 2019 MASC (Mid Atlantic Song Contest) Awards!!

Great NEWS! We’re honored to be selected as winners for the MASC (Mid Atlantic Song Contest). We’ve been invited to perform during the Jan 19th awards ceremony at Pearl Street Warehouse in DC. Reserve your tickets early! https://www.saw.org/event-3593181

 

We’re very excited to announce the following music honors:

 

It Isn’t You-No Eres Tu — Kathleen Huber, Valeria Stewart and Graciela Valdez (Silver, Vocal Jazz / Blues)

Beautiful — Kathleen Huber (Silver, Folk Acoustic)

All Rivers — Kathleen Huber (Finalist, Gospel / Inspirational / Christian)

Eres Mi Amor — Valeria Stewart and Graciela Valdez (Honorable Mention, Vocal Jazz / Blues)

Our Days in Ordinary Time — Valeria Stewart and Kathleen Huber (Honorable Mention, Gospel / Inspirational / Christian)

 

We are so happy about this honor, and grateful to everyone who helped make this happen.