MACKENZIE, Kirsten

Kirsten MacKenzie has been a professional musician and teacher of music for over 20 years and currently works in Wellington. In 2000 she was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Schools of Music in London where she studied both jazz and classical piano, graduating with distinction.

Kirsten holds a BMus (Hons) in jazz piano performance and research, a BA in music history and analysis, a diploma from the Royal Schools and Trinity College, a diploma in teaching, and is an Associate of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers.

In 2006 she released the album, Fragments of the Blues. The bulk of the material was composed during the course of her BMus, which she completed in the previous year.

Working as a freelance pianist, specializing in accompanying has seen her performing concerts around New Zealand with Malcolm McNeill, Louise Gibbs, Viva Sahn and Ann Pacey, with whom she performed in New Plymouth, opening for Michael Crawford. She regularly performs with her own group and others in and around Wellington.