Darlene Koldenhoven Last updated August 28, 2025 American vocalist, pianist
Musical artist
Darlene Koldenhoven is an American Grammy Award -winning vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and author. [ 1] [ 2] In 2021, her solo piano album The Grand Piano Spa debuted at No. 4 on Billboard ' s Classical Crossover Albums Chart, followed by The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy debuting at No. 8 on the same chart. [ 3] She has performed onstage with such artists as Yanni , David Byrne and Ricky Kej ; and she has provided vocals on albums by Pink Floyd , Neil Young , Celine Dion , and Kenny Loggins . [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10] As an actress, she has been featured in Sister Act , Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit , Spy Hard , the Young and the Restless , and Malcom in the Middle . [ 11] [ 12] [ 13] [ 14]
Early life and education Darlene Koldenhoven was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois . She began singing at age 3 and started taking piano lessons at age 9. She graduated from Chicago Christian High School , and at age 19 performed a solo with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and for the Lyric Opera Guild of Chicago. Koldenhoven received a bachelor's degree in Music Education and a master's degree in Vocal Performance from The Chicago Conservatory College . [ 15] [ 16] She taught elementary school music in Chicago for six years, then moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to pursue a career in music. [ 17]
Career After moving to Los Angeles, Koldenhoven made a name for herself in the music industry in 1982 by earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo, or Group as lead soprano with the musical group Clare Fisher's 2+2 . In the early 1980s she began singing on albums by artists such as Pink Floyd , Rod Stewart , Neil Young , Ringo Starr , Kenny Loggins , Whitney Houston , Celine Dion , and Lionel Richie . In 1987, she won a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo, or Group. In 1994, Koldenhoven performed "Aria" as a featured soprano soloist on Yanni, Live at the Acropolis . [ 4] [ 18] She has also shared the stage with Barbra Streisand , Bette Midler , and David Byrne . [ 5]
As a singing actress, Koldenhoven has been featured in Sister Act , and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit , Spy Hard , and Malcom in the Middle . She was a solo vocalist in an on-camera role in the Young and the Restless , performing "The Prayer ", and provided the singing voice for Julianne Moore , singing "Why Do I Lie" in the film Cast a Deadly Spell . [ 19] [ 20] Koldenhoven has been a solo vocalist in films including Body of Evidence , Internal Affairs , and The Crow . [ 21] [ 22] [ 23] As a choir singer she has provided vocals for What About Bob? and others. [ 24] Koldenhoven contributed vocals for the video games Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance . [ 25] [ 26]
Koldenhoven wrote the book Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind's Musical Ear (high voice and low voice versions). [ 27] [ 28] [ 29]
Personal life Koldenhoven lives in Los Angeles, where she takes care of adopted rescue animals. [ 30]
Discography Solo albums
1993 – Keys to the World [ 31] 1996 – Free to Serve [ 32] 2000 – Heavenly Peace [ 33] 2007 – Infinite Voice [ 34] 2011 – Inspired by a True Story [ 35] 2011 – Solitary Treasures [ 36] 2013 – Tranquil Times [ 37] 2017 – Color Me Home [ 38] 2018 – Chromatones [ 39] 2021 – The Grand Piano Spa [ 40] 2021 – The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy [ 41] 2022 – Traveling the Blissful Highway [ 42] Other albums
Awards Year Nominated work Category Award Result 1982 Clare Fischer Presents 2+2 Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo, or Group Grammy Award Nominated 1983 One Night in A Dream Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo, or Group Grammy Award Nominated 1987 Free Fall Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo, or Group Grammy Award Won 2017 Until Best New Age Song/Best Soprano Soloist [ 50] Global Music Awards (Gold Medal) Won 2017 Ode To Our Orb New Age/Ambient [ 51] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated 2019 Vibrant Worlds Best Easy Listening Recording [ 52] Indie Music Channel Award Won 2019 Golden Dawn Best Songwriter (all genres) [ 53] Indie Music Channel Award Won 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Hall of Fame Inductee [ 54] Indie Music Channel Award Won 2021 Wisteria Contemporary Classical [ 55] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated 2022 Traveling the Blissful Highway New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) [ 56] Global Music Award (Gold Medal) Won 2022 Cheerful Mohana New Age/Ambient [ 57] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated 2023 Cheerful Mohana Best of Pangea/New Age [ 58] InterContinental Music Award Won 2023 Best in Music Genre Best New Age/Ambient [ 59] Hollywood Independent Music Award Nominated
References ↑ "Grammys - Darlene Koldenhoven" . Grammys. Retrieved March 25, 2024 . ↑ "Tune Your Voice - Darlene Koldenhoven" . Art of Singing. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Billboard Classical Crossover Chart" . Billboard. November 6, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2024 . 1 2 3 "Yanni - In Concert ( Live At The Acropolis 1993) Full Concert 16:9 HQ @1:10:13" . RE-MASTERED. September 25, 1993. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . 1 2 Sioux City Journal , "Darlene Koldenhoven", page 5, October 14, 1993 ↑ "Music For The Planet Ricky Kej - TEDx Gateway" . TEDx. 14 July 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . 1 2 "A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON credits" (PDF) . Pink Floyd. Retrieved March 23, 2024 . 1 2 "Neil Young - Living With War credits" . Album Liner Notes. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . 1 2 "Celine Dion - These Are Special Times" . Grooves Inc. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . 1 2 "Kenny Loggins" . West Coast Music. Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven" . All Movie. Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ↑ "Whoopi Goldberg Says Sister Act 3 'May' Happen: We're 'Working Diligently' to 'Come Back' by Alexia Fernández" . People. October 7, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ Daily Press, "Soap Song by Dion, Bocelli by Amanda Haskins performed by Darlene Koldenhoven", page 63, October 03, 2002 ↑ "Jane Kaczmarek and vocalists at CBS Studios for 'Dewey's Opera' " . Malcom in the Middle.co.uk. January 3, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2024 . ↑ Southtown Star , "Box Office", page 72, November 10, 1994 ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch , "Christian Values Alive, Well in Hollywood, Singer Reports by Esther Talbot Fenning", page 108, October 8, 1993 ↑ "Life & Work with Darlene Koldenhoven" . Voyage LA. March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ Atlantic City Sun , "What the Pros do in hopes of preserving their voices by Vincent Jackson", page 57, August 19, 2007 ↑ "SOAP WEDDING SONG BY DION, BOCELLI" . AV Club. October 3, 2002. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "Cast a Deadly Spell" . TV Tropes. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "Body Of Evidence (1993)" . Soundtrack Collector. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "Internal Affairs End Credits - Darlene Koldenhoven" . What Song. October 3, 2002. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "The Crow - Inferno Credits" . Jaxsta. October 3, 2002. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven" . AV Club. Retrieved April 9, 2024 . ↑ "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video game" . Moby Games. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance The Soundtrack" . VGMDB. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "From Shower Singer to American Idol, Tune Your Voice " (PDF) . CSUN. January 14, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ Koldenhoven, Darlene (October 1, 2007). Tune Your Voice: High Voice . Alfred Music. ISBN 978-0978956233 . ↑ Koldenhoven, Darlene (October 1, 2007). Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind's Musical Ear: Low Voice . Alfred Music. ISBN 978-0978956240 . ↑ Voyage LA: Life & Work with Darlene Koldenhoven ↑ "Actress to Present Music Concert at Bethel Church", The Times – Indiana , page 38, October 21, 1993 ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven – Free to Serve" . Apple Music. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Holiday Music", The Post Crescent , page 26, December 16, 2000 ↑ "Christian Favorites", The Bellingham Herald , page 31, October 11, 2007 ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven", Casper Star-Tribune , page 39, September 23, 2011 ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven – New Vocal Album" . New Age Music World. March 24, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Tranquil Times Album by Darlene Koldenhoven" . Pandora. 6 September 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven: Class Act by Susan SurfTone" . Huffpost. June 20, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "New Age World Review: Darlene Koldenhoven-Chromatones" . New Age Music Reviews. April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven – The Grand Piano Spa" . New Age Music Reviews. April 13, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Darlene Koldenhoven - The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy - Album Review" . New Age Notes. August 22, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ " 'Traveling the Blissful Highway' new album by Darlene Koldenhoven at Peaceful Internet Radio Station" . Peaceful Radio. September 29, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Jazz Albums", LA Times , page 370, February 22, 1981 ↑ "1985 Crystal Gayle – Nobody Wants To Be Alone" . Session Days. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Tom Jones - Love is on the Radio" . 45 Worlds. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Rod Stewart / Every Beat of My Heart" . Jaxsta. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken" . Heavy Harmonies. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Ringo Starr Releases His Tenth Album : 'Time Takes Time' Featuring Brian Wilson, Harry Nilsson And Jeff Lynne (1992)" . Radio Video Music. April 13, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Back To Front - Lionel Richie" . Genius. May 5, 1992. Retrieved March 24, 2024 . ↑ "Global Music Award Winners 2017" . globalmusicawards.com . Retrieved 2024-04-07 . ↑ "HMMAWARDS, and the winners are…" . Hollywood Music in Media. 19 November 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2022 . ↑ "Indie Music Channel Awards" . The Indie Music Channel . Retrieved 2020-04-16 . ↑ "Indie Music Channel Awards" . The Indie Music Channel . Retrieved 2020-04-16 . ↑ "2019Inductees" . IMHOF . Retrieved 2020-04-16 . ↑ "HMMA - 2021 Music Genre Nominees" . Hollywood Music in Media. Retrieved April 13, 2024 . ↑ "Global Music Award Winners 2022" . globalmusicawards.com . Archived from the original on 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2024-04-07 . ↑ "HMMA - 2022 Music Genre Nominations" (PDF) . Hollywood Music in Media. Retrieved April 13, 2024 . ↑ "InterContinental Music Awards 2023 Winners" . Intercontinental Music Awards. Retrieved April 10, 2024 . ↑ "HIMA Winners 2023" . Hollywood Independent Music Awards. Retrieved March 23, 2023 . This page is based on this
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