(b. 1980) grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota — a place that fostered in her a keen interest in the outdoors and the wonders of nature.  The magic to be found in the natural world informs and inspires her creative work as do Earth-based spiritual traditions. 

She recently completed the DMA program in Composition at the University of Michigan (from which she also holds an MM); there she has worked with Bright Sheng, William Bolcom, Betsy Jolas, Michael Daugherty, Karen Tanaka and studied electronic music with Evan Chambers and Erik Santos.  She received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from the University of Minnesota where she studied with Judith Lang Zaimont.  Kirsten was recently named winner of the 2007 BMI Women's Music Commission and received an 2007 ASCAP/SEAMUS student commission. Her electronic work has been performed at numerous festivals including Bourges, SEAMUS, Electronic Music Midwest, and Third Practice. Her acoustic work has been performed by the Colorado Quartet, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, featured at Midwest Composers' Symposia, the Montreal and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, and presented at various concerts throughout North America, Europe, and Australia.

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