Featured artist: Kirsten Vogelsang

Birth Choice of Temecula is thrilled to have Kirsten Vogelsang and her cello students providing entertainment at this year's banquet. Below are the words and music of Kirsten Vogelsang. Her albums, "I Stand Transformed," and "She Spirals," will be available for purchase at the banquet.
 

As the daughter of Johanna Vogelsang, accomplished artist and activist, I grew up in a home where artistic expression was upheld as the highest form of achievement. My mother used her gifts to illustrate civil rights, human suffering and injustices. My father was a musician (pianist) and writer who was not so caught up in politics but in the “finer things in life."



I evolved my own artistic identity in the midst of this and during my first years of college where I attended Bennington college. Bennington also placed being in touch with one’s creativity as a pinnacle achievement.


As a composer/cellist for over 25 years, my musical creations have been rooted in the deepest of human expression. In my early years as a fledgling artist in NY, many of my colleagues passed due to the Aids epidemic, and so my early works pay tribute to this. I worked in collaboration with dance companies, creating scores based on this, the “disappeared” in South America in the 80’s, addiction, etc.


Moving to CA in 1990 after a residency at the Sundance Institute for film composers, I created scores for over 15 films, most of the epic, high drama genre. “heartbreakers…”


Simultaneously I worked on my own stand-alone or album pieces. The first album I STAND TRANSFORMED, however, is a collection of my film music. The second album, SHE SPIRALS are pieces featuring cello with electronica backdrops….utilizing my experience in film and dance, creating transcendent pieces. I am now working on my third CD and am seeking backers to complete this, which will be the pinnacle of my career. It is titled LET GO, and I have completed 2 of the pieces so far, one of which you will hear tonite.


As an educator now in my 50’s, I dedicate myself to passing on my dedication and musical experiences, providing the best possible experiences for my students, as you will hear at the banquet.




For more information about Kirsten's music, visit: www.kirstenvogelsangmusic.com. Free samples of Kirsten's music may be heard on iTunes or purchased from amazon.com.