Val Haller is the founder of ValsList, a music discovery platform she launched in 2007 to help busy adults stay connected to new music. Val began by curating playlists and soon expanded into live experiences, from intimate living room concerts to a signature ValsList Exclusive Concert Series in Winnetka on Chicago’s North Shore featuring a variety of touring artists and bands.
Her fresh approach quickly gained recognition. Music analyst, Bob Lefsetz, took notice, “We’re looking for more. Computers can’t tell us what we like, we need humans. Like Val Haller.” (2008) Val has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine, The Katie Couric Show, NPR, served as a music contributor on Chicago’s WCIU, “You & Me” and authored a weekly column, “Music Match” for the New York Times. She has collaborated and produced events with iconic venues such as the Chicago Botanic Garden and Wrigley Field’s Gallagher Way.
In 2017, Val launched the Winnetka Music Festival, a nationally recognized event. In 2021, the festival partnered with Evanston SPACE—operators of renowned Chicago venues like Thalia Hall, The Salt Shed, and The Empty Bottle. Through it all, Val’s mission has remained the same: to bridge the gap between emerging artists and the audiences eager to discover them.
Val resides in Winnetka with her husband, Mark and is a proud mother of four sons and four daughters-in-law as well as six grandchildren with more on the way!
