Valeria Vlazinskaya Mjolsness papers, 1922-2018

Valeria Vlazinskaya Mjolsness was a musician, writer, and singer. She was born on July 14, 1922, in Harbin, northern China. Valeria moved with her parents to Mukden, China in 1939 when Valeria was 17. The family weathered World War II and Japanese occupation of China, enduring tough conditions and meager supplies. In due course, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation (UNRRA) office opened, bringing post-war assistance and medical personnel (and a husband-to-be) to western China. In June, 1947, Valeria, who was working as a secretary in the UNRRA office, met Norwegian/Canadian Verdine Mjolsness, who had been a conscientious objector working in China during the war, and who was now working for UNRRA as a Superintendent of Agricultural Machinery. Verdine and Valeria were engaged just four months later, and married in Shanghai on February 8, 1948. A year later, Valeria and her parents moved with Verdine to Vancouver, Canada. Valeria grew up singing with her parents at home, and was encouraged by teachers at school. In her teens, she took her first private singing lessons. In Vancouver, she studied voice with an influential teacher and launched her professional career in music. Over the course of eight years in Vancouver and 38 years in Los Angeles, Valeria built a reputation as a song recitalist, voice coach, translator, and recording artist. A specialist in Russian repertoire, Valeria appeared in numerous solo recitals, instrumental ensembles and radio broadcasts. In addition to being an accomplished artist, Valeria wrote many translations of songs, arias and operas, and classical album liner annotation for Capital Records. In 1996, Valeria and Verdine moved to Bellingham, Washington to be closer to extended family. She died on January 25, 2018.