Kirsten Agresta
Encyclopedia
Kirsten Agresta is an American harpist based in New York City. She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University Bloomington
in Harp Performance. Agresta was Bronze Medal winner in the 1989 USA International Harp Competition
. She is an Affiliated Artist on the music faculty at Sarah Lawrence College
.
Her debut album, Dream World was released in August, 2001.
Agresta has performed as a solo artist throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Israel, Japan, and the South Pacific. She made her Carnegie Hall
solo recital debut in 1998 in Weill Concert Hall, returning again by popular demand in 1999, and 2002. Agresta debuted as concerto soloist in Isaac Stern Auditorium in April, 2006 and at Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall in May, 2009. She has appeared in People (Magazine) and presented on NBC, CBS, and ABC-TV, MTV, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterman, and the Today Show.
Commanding a wide range of genres, Agresta has collaborated with many hip hop, R&B, and pop icons, including Jay-Z
, Beyoncé Knowles
, Enya
, Kanye West
, and The Roots. She is featured on the Erykah Badu
album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh on the hit single "Window Seat" and "Incense".
Agresta had the honor of performing for U.S. President Barack Obama
at the second official White House State Dinner (honoring Mexican President Felipe Calderón
) with R&B icon Beyoncé. She has also privately performed for notable officials and dignitaries, such as: Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
, Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
, and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
.
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
in Harp Performance. Agresta was Bronze Medal winner in the 1989 USA International Harp Competition
USA International Harp Competition
The USA International Harp Competition is one of the most prestigious and important music competitions in the world, founded in 1989 by world-renowned harpist and pedagogue Susann McDonald...
. She is an Affiliated Artist on the music faculty at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
.
Her debut album, Dream World was released in August, 2001.
Agresta has performed as a solo artist throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Israel, Japan, and the South Pacific. She made her Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
solo recital debut in 1998 in Weill Concert Hall, returning again by popular demand in 1999, and 2002. Agresta debuted as concerto soloist in Isaac Stern Auditorium in April, 2006 and at Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall in May, 2009. She has appeared in People (Magazine) and presented on NBC, CBS, and ABC-TV, MTV, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterman, and the Today Show.
Commanding a wide range of genres, Agresta has collaborated with many hip hop, R&B, and pop icons, including Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
, Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, and The Roots. She is featured on the Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh on the hit single "Window Seat" and "Incense".
Agresta had the honor of performing for U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
at the second official White House State Dinner (honoring Mexican President Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
) with R&B icon Beyoncé. She has also privately performed for notable officials and dignitaries, such as: Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
, Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
, and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
.