Soprano
Praised for the “clarity in her singing as well as rich expressiveness” (Journal of Singing), soprano Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk has performed at Weill Recital Hall, Chapelle du Bon-Pasteur in Québec City, and the Piccolo Teatro degli Instabili in Assisi, Italy. In recital, she uses projected images and unexpected pairings of repertoire to reach into our common humanity with honesty and humor. Kristine has performed as a soloist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Bach Festival, Bourbon Baroque, and the Amherst Early Music Festival.
Driven to share stories of the Holocaust depicted in music, Kristine commissioned Lori Laitman to compose a sequel to her song cycle, I Never Saw Another Butterfly. Recorded with clarinetist Denise Gainey, The Secret Exit is the centerpiece of her CD released by Naxos. Colin Clarke of Fanfare hailed this world premiere recording “a most moving selection of songs for voice and clarinet, beautifully recorded.” In collaboration with Birmingham Art Music Alliance (BAMA), Kristine premiered Craig Biondi’s Two Psalms, and has championed the songs of Craig Brandwein, Diana Rosenblum, and David Hogg.
Fresh programming and compelling visual elements are central to Ms. Hurst-Wajszczuk’s love of early music. Her recitals of Dowland lute songs include viewing the coded messages found in the portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, along with explorations of socio-political intrigue surrounding lute songs composed during that time. Her CD of Dowland lute songs was released by Centaur in 2008. Her 2022 performance of Händel’s Neun Deutsche Arien at Colonial Williamsburg included projections of lush photographs of nature.
Beyond performing, Kristine is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher who helps people overcome performance anxiety. Conference, conservatory, and university workshops have taken her from Las Vegas to Austria, from Philadelphia to Sweden and Hungary. She leads weekly meditation groups through the Arts in Medicine program and the Honors College at UAB. Kristine is also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and specializes in working with beginners.
Reviews
“The performances by soprano Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk and clarinetist Denise Gainey are inward and focused… This is a fine addition to the repertory of music that takes up the subject of the Holocaust.”
James Manheim
allmusic.com
“…perfect articulation of the soprano, who seems to sculpt each one of the syllables of text.”
Sakira Ventura
“Hurst-Wajszczuk brings an informed approach to each programme she prepares leaving the audience not only aware that they are in the presence of a learned scholar but also a performer with a fresh modern sensibility.”
Austin Clark
“Hearing Hurst-Wajszczuk and Gainey work as one on these songs just underlines the music’s power. This is a most moving selection of songs for voice and clarinet, beautifully recorded; music to touch both heart and spirit.”
Colin Clarke
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