He was born to a father who worked as an Adventist pastor, the family would move several times during Valen's upbringing.

He got a varied musical education in his youth, playing the piano, various other instruments, and taking singing lessons for four years.

In 1969, the choir won its class in the BBC (later EBU) competition Let the Peoples Sing.

The tour ended with a performance in Carnegie Hall, for which they received an excellent review in The New York Times.

[2] In 1961, Valen founded the women's choir Bel Canto which he conducted for ten years.