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Darlene Koldenhoven is an American Grammy Award-winning vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and author. In 2021, her solo piano albums The Grand Piano Spa debuted at #4 on Billboard's Classical Crossover Albums Chart followed by The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy debuting at #8 on the same Billboard Chart. She has performed onstage with such artists as Yanni, David Byrne and Ricky Kej, and provided vocals on albums by Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Celine Dion, and Kenny Loggins, among others.

As an actress, she has been featured in Sister Act, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,

Early Life
Darlene Koldenhoven was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She began singing at 3 years of age and started taking piano lessons at 9 years old. She graduated from Chicago Christian High School and at 19 years of age performed a solo for 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. She taught elementary school music in Chicago for six years then moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to pursue a career in music.

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 the musical group, Clare Fisher's 2+2. In the early 1980's 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 in, Yanni, Live at the Acropolis. She has also shared the stage with Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, and David Byrne, among others. As a singing actress, Koldenhoven has been featured in, Sister Act, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Spy Hard, Malcom in the Middle, and others. She was a solo vocalist in an on-camera role in the Young and the Restless performing, The Prayer, and provided the vocal track for Julianne Moore singing, Why Do I Lie, in the film, Cast a Deadly Spell. She has also been a solo vocalist in films including, Body of Evidence, Internal Affairs, and The Crow. As a choir singer she has provided vocals for What About Bob? and others. Koldenhoven has also contributed vocals to video games, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

As an author, Koldenhoven wrote Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind's Musical Ear (high voice and low voice versions).

Musician
Darlene Koldenhoven made over a thousand appearances as performing musician in a variety of concerts, public ceremonies and charitable events with such celebrities as Al Gore, Robin Williams, Yanny, Clare Fischer, Ray Conniff and many other dignitaries and notable people.

She is a Grammy Award recipient and is a three-time Grammy nominee for the lead soprano in Clare Fischer's SALSA PICANTE & 2+2 recorded at Capitol Records in September 1980.

"What i needed were vocalists with good ears, some linguistic ability and interest, some extra vocal range to sing with the Latin Jazz concepts. My choices were Darlene Koldenhoven, Mary Hylan, Amick Bryam and John Laird. About the time of third rehearsal i noticed a special spirit developing and at the same time the beginning of the blend. The heaviest load fell on my two sopranos and especially on Darlene. What I needed was akin to splitting two trumpet players in a shouting brass section. One able to spell the other if needed. .. Darlene was singing solo and also mostly in her lower range so the demands made on her range were severe. All the singers are fine soloists. But as a group they have produced the sound I searched so long for - a bright young contemporary sound - and this is what we have: SALSA PICANTE & 2+2.'"

Darlene was the featured soprano soloist in the PBS television special, Yanni, Live at the Acropolis, and in Grammy Winner Ricky Kej's "Shanti Samsara" concerts/videos in Bangalore, India, for consciousness awareness.

Darlene has an MVP award from the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the Grammys) for "Best Studio Singer" for singing in venues including movies, television, albums/CDs, commercials, video games, live shows.

She has a Platinum album for her vocal work on Pink Floyd's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason". She earned a Gold album as the tambourine-waving choir nun in both Sister Act films with Whoopi Goldberg and off-camera as the production vocal coach, vocal contractor, and music director. She has two Telley Awards for her song/video, "Love is an Action Word". Her albums have debuted or gone to #1 on the ZMR Radio Charts and have been voted by Broadcasters worldwide Best Vocal Album 2007 Infinite Voice, Best Holiday Album 2007 Heavenly Peace, a Nomination for Best Vocal Album 2011 Solitary Treasures and a Nomination for Best Piano Album with Instrumentation 2014 Tranquil Times.

Author and educator
In 2007 Darlene Koldenhoven released a music education book with instructional CDs called Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind's Musical Ear. As a member of the Society of Composers and Lyricists, she presented seminars on voice and composing for voice, as well as seminars for the Nebraska Music Educators Association and National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She served on the NARAS Board of Trustees for two terms, was a Los Angeles Chapter Second Vice President for one term, and Governor for six years.

Darlene Koldenhoven is an active member of former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, personally trained by Al Gore and certified in Los Angeles in 2018. She has been working with former VP Al Gore’s staff on financing and delivering piano and vocal performances in her own climate concert and presentation. In 2019, Darlene Koldenhoven was a contributor to Vice President Al Gore’s “24 Hours of Climate Reality” annual climate awareness event.

Awards
{|class="wikitable sortable" !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 || Vocals || Best Soprano Soloist|| Global Music Awards|| Won
 * 2017 ||Color Me Home ||Best New Age Song||Global Music Awards || Won
 * 2017 || Ode To Our Orb || New Age/Ambient
 * Hollywood Music in Media Award|| Nominated
 * 2023 || Music Genre|| New Age/Ambient || Hollywood Independent Music Award|| Won
 * 2019 || Vibrant Worlds||Best Easy Listening Recording || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2019 || Golden Dawn||Best Songwriter (all genres) || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2019 || Lifetime Achievement Award||Hall of Fame Inductee || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2022 || Traveling the Blissful Highway||New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) || Global Music Award||Won
 * Hollywood Music in Media Award|| Nominated
 * 2023 || Music Genre|| New Age/Ambient || Hollywood Independent Music Award|| Won
 * 2019 || Vibrant Worlds||Best Easy Listening Recording || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2019 || Golden Dawn||Best Songwriter (all genres) || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2019 || Lifetime Achievement Award||Hall of Fame Inductee || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2022 || Traveling the Blissful Highway||New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) || Global Music Award||Won
 * 2019 || Golden Dawn||Best Songwriter (all genres) || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2019 || Lifetime Achievement Award||Hall of Fame Inductee || Indie Music Channel Award||Won
 * 2022 || Traveling the Blissful Highway||New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) || Global Music Award||Won
 * 2022 || Traveling the Blissful Highway||New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) || Global Music Award||Won
 * 2022 || Traveling the Blissful Highway||New Age - Production/Producer (Gold Medal) || Global Music Award||Won

Discography
Solo Albums
 * 2022 - Traveling the Blissful Highway
 * 2021 - The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy
 * 2021 - The Grand Piano Spa
 * 2018 - Chromatones
 * 2017 - Color Me Home
 * 2013 - Tranquil Times
 * 2011 - Solitary Treasures
 * 2011 - Inspired by a True Story
 * 2007 - Infinite Voice
 * 2000 - Heavenly Peace
 * 1996 - Free to Serve
 * 1993 - Keys to the World

Other Albums
 * 1981 - Clare Fischer - 2+2  - Lead Soprano
 * 1985 - Crystal Gayle - Nobody Wants To Be Alone - Backing Vocals
 * 1984 - Tom Jones - Love is on the Radio - Backing Vocals
 * 1985 - Rod Stewart - Every Beat of My Heart - Backing Vocals
 * 1987 - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason Backing Vocals
 * 1990 - REO Speedwagon - The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken - Backing Vocals
 * 1991 - Kenny Loggins - Leap of Faith - Backing Vocals
 * 1992 - Ringo Starr - Time Takes Time - Backing Vocals
 * 1992 - Lionel Richie - Back To Front - Backing Vocals
 * 1994 - Yanni - Live at the Acropolis - Lead Vocals
 * 1998 - Celine Dion - These Are Special Times - Backing Vocals
 * 2002 - Neil Young - Living with War - Backing Vocals