COD graduate Amy Beth Kirsten named Guggenheim Fellow
College of DuPage alum Amy Beth Kirsten is among 180 scholars to be named among this year's batch of Guggenheim Fellows.
Kirsten was awarded a 12-month fellowship through the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation along with a Levy Supplemental Stipend for music composition. She will compose a large work for the Grammy Award-winning ensemble eighth blackbird.
The fellowship is the COD graduate's latest accomplishment. She recently completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Music Composition from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, one of the most prestigious music schools in the country.
“I applied for a Guggenheim each of the last three years,” Kirsten said. “This is my dream project.”
Over the next year, the COD alum will work with eighth blackbird members to create a chamber opera, complete with choreography by acclaimed dancer Martha Clark.
“I thought eighth blackbird would be perfect for this collaboration because they're very open in terms of how they position themselves on stage and they also incorporate some stage blocking in their performances,” she said.
While at COD, Kirsten participated in Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, and took private voice and piano lessons. Her time at the College allowed for her to explore all her areas of interest and put her in contact with talented faculty who were able to guide her, she said.
After ultimately deciding to pursue a career in music, she earned a bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance from Benedictine University and a master's degree in Composition from Roosevelt University.
With her doctorate now complete, Kirsten is currently focusing on the creation of new music. She has participated in several music festivals, earning respect from her peers and completing commissions for a number of new works. With the early support of her parents and the COD music faculty, Kirsten is anxious to begin her collaborative project.
“I can see it on the stage and I can hear it in my head,” she said. “I'm very excited about this entire process.”
For more information and to view a video interview with Amy Beth, visit:
http://home.cod.edu/newsEvents/newsDetails.aspx?Channel=%2fChannels%2fAdmissions+and+Campus+Wide&WorkflowItemID=6f9f70e0-2820-49bb-9ad2-825c28e1ad07