Serenity in Seconds
When life feels loud, I return to something simple: nature & my violin.
Serenity in Seconds is a series of short violin “micro-meditations” filmed in nature—made to calm your nervous system and restore a sense of wonder in under a minute.
Third Person Bio
A versatile musician, Vanessa combines years of formal classical training (Butler University, University of Nevada, Reno), with effortless charisma and rare artistic fluidity.
Vanessa has participated in several music festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado and the Sunriver Music Festival in Oregon.
As an orchestral musician, she has performed with many orchestras including the Indianapolis Symphony, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Reno Philharmonic, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Monterey Symphony and the Fresno Philharmonic.
She has always been passionate about teaching and loves connecting with young people through music. Vanessa has been teaching violin lessons for 28 years and has built large studios in Indiana and Nevada as well as a 5 year run with creating and directing the annual Reno Violin Camp and Audition Boot Camps, helping students prepare for youth orchestra auditions.
Vanessa has recorded several albums over the years, two with her band Fiddlers2 (Celtic music with a classical twist) and an album of tangos with her band Triptico Trio (violin, harp, and bandonean).
Vanessa still teaches violin lessons and performs/records with Fiddlers2 & Triptico Trio but she recently retired from orchestral playing after 25 years and is using her nights and weekends, which used to be filled with rehearsals and concerts to put together the National Park Compositions Project that you see here. It's been something she's been passionate about for years but did not have the time to make a reality till now.
With Reno as her base, in her spare time Vanessa enjoys driving scenic roads, visiting National parks, and hiking in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains.
Note from Vanessa
I first came up with the National Park Compositions Project 10 years ago. Carlsbad National Park was the first park finished from beginning to end (commissioned, recorded, and the music video filmed in the park) and I now have 4 other parks started and in various parts of the process.
The project encourages innovative interactions between music, art, and nature, providing a platform for creative collaboration between newly written compositions and the beauty of the National Parks.
I came up with the Nature Vault idea quite recently, and am very excited about the collaborative component of the vault community.
We are now up to 63 parks in the USA alone! I have a lot of creative ideas about different ways to incorporate all of the arts into the films but not enough for 63 parks! I'm excited to see all of the different ideas that will emerge through our brainstorming sessions in the Nature Vault Community...who knows what amazing things we'll come up with!
As the Nature Vault host, I strive to create a space that is genuine, down-to-earth, and approachable - a place where we can exhale and simply be human again, a place where beauty is real, creativity is welcome, and we can show up exactly as we are.
I’m not here to add more noise, and hype to our already full schedules. Everything I share is guided by a desire to offer a genuine “place to breathe,” reconnect to wonder, and be part of something good coming to life.
I’m here to share something real: cinematic music and art rooted in the majesty of the National Parks, and the behind-the-scenes community where beauty, creativity, and connection are not only welcomed - they’re woven into everything we do.
The values below of beauty, inspiration, and collaboration are the compass for everything I create, how I lead our community, and how we bring these films to life together.
Beauty
I believe beauty is not a luxury-it’s a necessity, a steadying force that brings us back to what’s true when the world feels loud, cynical, or depleted. Beauty is the language that bypasses arguments and reaches the heart; it reminds us we are made for wonder, meaning, and reverence. I value beauty that is both wild and crafted - the raw majesty of the National Parks and the intentional artistry of music, film, and visual design - because, together they create an experience that restores us from the inside out. In our community, beauty is something we don’t merely consume; we participate in it, protect it, and help bring it to life. I believe that when we choose to seek and create beauty we replace doomscrolling with hope, numbness with presence, and isolation with belonging, remembering again what it feels like to be fully human.
Inspiration
I believe in the power of artistic expression to enrich lives and broaden perspectives, providing experiences that uplift and motivate. I embrace the elegance of the natural world and the richness of artistic expression, as they come together to inspire us to live fully and authentically. I believe that the natural world is a boundless source of inspiration and that integrating the arts with nature can lead to profound experiences and insights. I value unique and transformative experiences that celebrate the beauty of the artistic world as well as the beauty of the natural world. I believe that combining the creative arts with the beauty of nature has the power to transform lives, the ability to inspire, heal, and connect people, creating lasting impacts on individuals and communities.
Collaboration
I value creativity and innovation, celebrating the unique blend of art, music, and nature that inspires new perspectives and artistic expressions. As we delve into the hidden stories and emotions within each compositional landscape, we forge connections that deepen our understanding and appreciation of the world around us. We come together to create something bigger than ourselves, believing in the profound connections between music, art, nature, and the human spirit, and creating an environment where these elements can integrate seamlessly. We create a community where individuals can come together to share their passion for art, music, and nature, fostering synergy and innovation among artists and nature enthusiasts alike. We encourage pushing creative boundaries and exploring new artistic frontiers, fostering an environment where innovation is celebrated and new ideas are nurtured.
