Kyrie Kristmanson
Encyclopedia
Kyrie Kristmanson is a Canadian
singer/songwriter, guitarist and trumpeter. Born in Ottawa
, Ontario
, she has lived in Ontario, Quebec
, New Brunswick
, Saskatchewan
and in France
. Since appearing at the 2006 Winnipeg Folk Festival
at the age of fifteen, Kristmanson has performed widely in Canada and Europe. Her performances have been broadcast nationally in Canada by CBC Radio 2, and in France by Radio France
and by France Inter
("White Sessions").
She received an B.Hum. Honours degree in humanities and music from Carleton University
in 2010.
She has released three albums as a solo artist, incorporating jazz
, folk
and classical
influences into her musical style. She performs in English and French, and has toured widely in France since launching her third album Origin of Stars (No Format!
/Universal
, 2010) at the Eglise Saint-Eustache
in Paris
. She began her ongoing research of troubadour
music and poetry, and particularly the female medieval troubadour tradition, during a year spent studying at the Lumière University Lyon 2
. Her poetry chapbook Myths of the Body was published by In/Words Magazine and Press in September 2008, and she has contributed texts to Jowi Taylor
's Six String Nation (Douglas and MacInyre, 2009) and Folk Prints magazine.
She was commissioned to write songs for CBC programs including A Continent Ago, inspired by writer Mavis Gallant
, created for Canada Reads
. She also contributed two songs, "Land" and "Talk", to Sound and Inspiration II, a show in which the Art of Time Ensemble performed Robert Schumann
's "Piano Quintet in E flat", followed by pop and rock musicians — including Kristmanson, John Southworth
, Justin Rutledge
, Martin Tielli
, Dave Wall and Andy Maize
— performing their own original compositions inspired by the Schumann piece. In 2010, she collaborated with composer Pat Carrabré
and the Afiara String Quartet on The Domna Elegies, a song cycle in which Kristmanson's troubadour-inspired songs and poetry were set to chamber music
arrangements by Carrabré.
Kristmanson has opened for notable performers such as Feist (performing with Melissa Laveaux
), Emily Loizeau
, Sophie Hunger
, Hawksley Workman
and Buck 65
. She was also a founding member of the indie rock
band Rah Rah
. She was selected to perform at the Canadian Music Café at the Toronto International Film Festival
in 2008 and at South by South-East in Memphis, Tennessee
.
Kristmanson plays a classical guitar created for her by Lyon-based luthier Jasper Senderowitz.
for her composition "Song X".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer/songwriter, guitarist and trumpeter. Born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, she has lived in Ontario, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Since appearing at the 2006 Winnipeg Folk Festival
Winnipeg Folk Festival
The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a summer folk music festival held in Birds Hill Provincial Park, near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It features a variety of folk artists from all around the world, as well as a number of local folk performers....
at the age of fifteen, Kristmanson has performed widely in Canada and Europe. Her performances have been broadcast nationally in Canada by CBC Radio 2, and in France by Radio France
Radio France
Radio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
and by France Inter
France Inter
France Inter is a major French public radio channel and part of Radio France. It is a "generalist" station, aiming to provide a wide national audience with a full service of news and intelligent spoken-word programming, both serious and entertaining, liberally punctuated with an eclectic mix of...
("White Sessions").
She received an B.Hum. Honours degree in humanities and music from Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in 2010.
She has released three albums as a solo artist, incorporating jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
influences into her musical style. She performs in English and French, and has toured widely in France since launching her third album Origin of Stars (No Format!
No Format!
No Format! is an independent record label based in Paris and created in 2004.The label seeks to invest in original musical projects, be them instrumental or vocal, and has built up a catalogue of 18 works since its inception...
/Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, 2010) at the Eglise Saint-Eustache
Église Saint-Eustache, Paris
L’église Saint-Eustache is a church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, built between 1532 and 1632.Situated at the entrance to Paris’s ancient markets and the beginning of rue Montorgueil, the Église de Saint-Eustache is considered a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. She began her ongoing research of troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
music and poetry, and particularly the female medieval troubadour tradition, during a year spent studying at the Lumière University Lyon 2
Lumière University Lyon 2
Lumière University Lyon 2 is one of the three universities that comprise the current University of Lyon, having splintered from an older university of the same name, and is primarily based on two campuses in Lyon itself...
. Her poetry chapbook Myths of the Body was published by In/Words Magazine and Press in September 2008, and she has contributed texts to Jowi Taylor
Jowi Taylor
Jowi Taylor is a radio broadcaster for CBC Radio, Canada's national public broadcaster.For over 10 years, Taylor was the host of Global Village, which broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2 and Radio Canada International...
's Six String Nation (Douglas and MacInyre, 2009) and Folk Prints magazine.
She was commissioned to write songs for CBC programs including A Continent Ago, inspired by writer Mavis Gallant
Mavis Gallant
Mavis Leslie Gallant, , née Mavis Leslie Young is a Canadian writer.-Biography:An only child, Gallant was born in Montreal, Quebec. Her father died when she was young, and her mother remarried. Gallant received her education at seventeen different public, convent, and French-language boarding...
, created for Canada Reads
Canada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
. She also contributed two songs, "Land" and "Talk", to Sound and Inspiration II, a show in which the Art of Time Ensemble performed Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
's "Piano Quintet in E flat", followed by pop and rock musicians — including Kristmanson, John Southworth
John Southworth (musician)
John Southworth is an English-Canadian singer-songwriter. His style encompasses a range of popular song genres, from oldies-radio to folk, 80’s pop to cabaret...
, Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge
Justin Rutledge is a Toronto-based alt-country singer-songwriter signed to Six Shooter Records.Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both of the literary and music world, include Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Richard Brautigan...
, Martin Tielli
Martin Tielli
Martin Tielli is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He was a member of the Rheostatics, and has also released material as a solo artist and with the side project Nick Buzz. As well, he has appeared as a guest musician on albums by Barenaked Ladies, Kevin Hearn, The Waltons, Jane Siberry, Ashley...
, Dave Wall and Andy Maize
Skydiggers
Skydiggers are a Canadian roots rock band from Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:Formed in 1987 by singer Andy Maize and lead guitarist Josh Finlayson, the band soon added rhythm guitarist Peter Cash, drummer Wayne Stokes and bassist Ron Macey to their lineup...
— performing their own original compositions inspired by the Schumann piece. In 2010, she collaborated with composer Pat Carrabré
Pat Carrabré
Pat Carrabré is a Canadian composer, teacher, and radio personality.He is composer-in-residence at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and a professor of music at Brandon University. In March 2007, Carrabré became the weekend host of The Signal, a new program on CBC Radio 2 devoted to contemporary music...
and the Afiara String Quartet on The Domna Elegies, a song cycle in which Kristmanson's troubadour-inspired songs and poetry were set to chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
arrangements by Carrabré.
Kristmanson has opened for notable performers such as Feist (performing with Melissa Laveaux
Mélissa Laveaux
Mélissa Laveaux is an Ottawa musician of Haitian descent signed to No Format! records...
), Emily Loizeau
Emily Loizeau
Emily Loizeau is a French author, composer, and singer. Her debut album, released in 2006, was titled L'autre bout du monde .- Biography :...
, Sophie Hunger
Sophie Hunger
Sophie Hunger is a folk-pop-blues singer from Zurich.- Early life :Sophie Hunger grew up in Bern , London , Bonn and Zurich with two older siblings...
, Hawksley Workman
Hawksley Workman
Ryan Corrigan , better known by the stage name Hawksley Workman, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim for his blend of cabaret pop and glam rock. Workman has released eleven full length albums throughout his career...
and Buck 65
Buck 65
Richard Terfry , who uses the stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian experimental artist, MC and turntablist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, country, rock, folk and avant garde influences.Terfry is also a radio host,...
. She was also a founding member of the indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Rah Rah
Rah Rah (band)
Rah Rah is an indie rock band from Regina, Saskatchewan. They have toured cross-Canada and have released two albums.- History :Funded by Amelie G, a famous singer, the group formed as a three piece in 2005 made up of Erin Passmore , Kyrie Kristmanson and Marshall Burns...
. She was selected to perform at the Canadian Music Café at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
in 2008 and at South by South-East in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Kristmanson plays a classical guitar created for her by Lyon-based luthier Jasper Senderowitz.
Awards
In 2007, Kristmanson won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Young Performer. In 2009 she was awarded the Colleen Peterson Songwriting AwardColleen Peterson Songwriting Award
The Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award is an annual Canadian award, presented to the year's best song by an emerging singer/songwriter from Ontario in the genres of roots, traditional, folk and country music...
for her composition "Song X".