Valencio Jackson, Jr. received his B.A. degree in Music from the University of Delaware (UD), studying with Dr. Melanie Dement, and Ruth Oatman. At UD, he was the student director of the University Men’s Chorus, the choral director of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity chorus, and the primary arranger for the Overtones, a men’s acappella group at the university. He is currently completing his M.M. in Composition at Towson University, studying with William Kleinsasser, and Jonathan Leshnoff.

Valencio’s chamber works have been presented and performed at regional and national conferences, most recently at the International Clarinet Association’s 2010 conference held in Austin, Texas. His Seasons, a vocal chamber work originally scored for baritone voice, clarinet, bassoon, and piano, will be performed at the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI) 2011 conference held at the University of Florida–Gainesville.

Recent commissions and premieres include a set of sacred choral works, Holy Week, premiered in 2009 at Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and Today, a cycle of songs for soprano and piano, premiered in recital at Towson University in 2010. Current projects include a clarinet sonata based on the life of a child, and a set of works for saxophone quartet.