When Women Pray 2012…
2012 Featured Speaker: ValLimar Jansen
Our 3rd Annual When Women Pray… held on Saturday, October 20th, 2012 delivered an inspiring morning of prayer, music and worship for nearly 500 women who enjoyed the soulful, spine-tingling vocals of singer and recording artist ValLimar Jansen. An accomplished actress and engaging speaker, ValLimar inspires women of all ages. ValLimar has toured throughout the United States, Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium and Japan. She played the role of Beneatha with the Broadway touring cast in the European premier of Raisin and later co-authored a one-woman musical about the life of Ethel Waters that received a special commendation from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The person behind that incredible voice. You’ve heard her soaring soprano and soulful, spine-tingling vocals on gospel, jazz and pop tracks and wondered, “Wow! Who is that?” Blessed with an extraordinary voice, ValLimar Jansen is a highly regarded singer, cantor and recording artist. She is also a college professor, a leader of worship and prayer and a workshop presenter at conferences across the United States.
Known especially for her work with gospel, contemporary Christian and gospel-jazz styles, she sings a wide range of music, including spirituals and traditional, organ-based choral music. Recent projects include her stirring, gospel-style rendition of Jaime Cortez’s classic “Rain Down” on the Live It! two-CD compilation and lead and background vocals on Clothed in Love, Tom Kendzia’s recent collection of spirituals and gospel-style music for the liturgy. ValLimar released her second album with OCP, Anointing, in November at the National Catholic Youth Conference.
ValLimar has a long history of singing sacred music, starting from the age of five. She received most of her training in music and performance at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and she holds professional degrees in the Arts from California State University and The University of California. So she’s got both experience and credentials.
She has sung and toured professionally throughout the United States, Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium and Japan. She played the role of Beneatha with the Broadway touring cast in the European premier of Raisin. She went on to co-author a one-woman musical about the life of Ethel Waters that received a special commendation from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Maybe you’re familiar with her from one of the many liturgical and pastoral conferences she attends throughout the country. She has been the cantor for several jazz liturgies and closing liturgies at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. She has served as a cantor, principal vocalist, lector and workshop presenter at the San Jose Jazz Festival, the Sacramento Jazz Festival, NPM conferences, the National Encuentro Conference, the National Jubilee Justice Conference, the Los Angeles Liturgy Conference, the East Coast Conference, and many other major events.
She has also collaborated with some of the best-known songwriters and musicians in contemporary Catholic music, including Jaime Cortez, Bobby Fisher, Jesse Manibusan, Danielle Rose and many others.
Pictured: ValLimar (right) with WWP Founder Denyse Gagnon
