About Kirsten

Illinois-bred, Austin-based musician Kirsten Townander (b. 2001) is a composer, educator, and flautist. Her artistic work is fueled by her love of story-telling, passion for human connection, and appreciation for her multidisciplinary background, which spans the disciplines of theatre, dance, and—of course—music. She seeks to bridge gaps between these all-too-often “separate” disciplines, fostering spaces for performers and audience members alike to tap into their creativity in new ways.

 

Kirsten is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Composition (M.M.) from the University of Texas at Austin, where her private instructors have included Donald Grantham and Yevgeniy Sharlat. Previously, she earned a Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education (B.M.E.) and dual Bachelor of Music Composition and Flute Performance (B.M.) from Illinois State University, where she studied composition with Roger Zare, Carl Schimmel, Roy Magnuson, and Alex Stephenson and flute with Kimberly Risinger.

 

In addition to her pursuits as a composer, Kirsten remains active as an educator. She serves as a graduate teaching assistant in undergraduate aural skills courses, works as the Theory Director at the Clavier-Werke School of Music, offers private flute lessons, and completes freelance arranging jobs. Kirsten enjoys working with musicians of all ages and looks forward to any and all opportunities for collaboration!