Valerie Naranjo

Valerie Naranjo
Born
Valerie Dee Naranjo

(1958-10-10) October 10, 1958
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Percussionist
  • Composer
  • Musicologist
Years active1988–present

Valerie Naranjo (born October 10, 1958), is an American percussionist, vocalist, musicologist, professor known for her association with the Saturday Night Live Band.

A touring musician who has played and arranged for numerous Broadway productions, Valerie has composed for dance and film, and other music in the “world music” category. She specializes in the West African mallet keyboard instrument called “gyil”, and excels at marimba. She created transcriptions of gyil music for western marimbaX, and produced gyil concerti with orchestra, wind ensemble, string quartet, and percussion ensemble. Naranjo was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2011 and was named World Music Percussionist of the Year in 2005 and 2008 and Mallet Percussionist of the Year in 2012 by Drum! magazine reader poll.

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