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From composing and singing the Theme song for Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods”, to writing and conducting a piece for the NYU University Singers to collaborating on the fringe festival hit “Williamsburg! The Musical” – Kurt Gellersted enjoys spinning many musical plates.

Though the Chicago native spent his youth performing in the usual run of High School and Community theatre productions, his teen years were also about playing drums, writing songs and singing in punk/art-rock bands (Birdfeeder, Plane Rides for Five Minute Drives). They played all-ages shows alongside area legends (Cap’n Jazz, Friction, Gauge, and Braid). Several now-infamous hand-pressed cassette tapes were recorded and distributed from the garage-turned-practice space in his parents’ suburban home.

Kurt then pursued a Degree in Classical Vocal Performance and Composition at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, world-renown for its focus on Choral music. Between traditional orchestration and theory classes, Kurt would jot down lyric ideas and play acoustic guitar in his dorm room. While on summer break in 1997, he recorded "The Cat Hair Chair", an album of quirky folk originals on his 4-track recorder.

Then it was on to NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education for Kurt’s Graduate studies in Music Composition where he studied with Dr. Justin Dello Joio. In the spring of 2002, NYU’s University Singers, a 23-person orchestra and NYU Faculty soloists premiered Kurt's 8-movement "Requiem". Upon hearing the piece, Luther College Choir Director Weston Noble hailed, "Bravo! A gifted orchestrator. I was drawn to it." The "Requiem" world premiere recording is available on CD and has since been featured on NPR's "Theme and Variations".

Since receiving his M.A. in Music Composition in May 2002, Kurt has premiered two new chamber works at Merkin Concert Hall, recorded his second self-released pop/rock record "Scribble Scrabble", interned for “The Lion King” Music Director/Principal Conductor Joseph Church and embarked on a 10-city tour with avant-garde Cellist/Composer Erik Friedlander. His work with Friedlander began in late 2002 when Kurt was hired to assist Erik while he scored a four-part PBS documentary “The Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites”. Kurt has since assisted Erik’s work on jingles, recording sessions and transcription projects.

Kurt has also built a resume scoring music for over 20 indie & student films. His credits include work in NY and LA, for projects large and small. His music can be heard in “Ten More Good Years” an award-winning documentary on aging and the LGBT community that is currently airing on Sundance and LOGO. Kurt just completed the score and soundtrack for the feature “Sad Sack Sally”, a romantic comedy in consideration for several festivals.

In March 2005, Kurt landed an internship at Man Made Music, a busy post-production house in Midtown. The experience tuned his ear to the very specific world of writing for television. In July of 2007, his theme song package for “Bizarre Foods” debuted on the Travel Channel. Kurt’s underscoring work can be heard on NBC’s “Martha Stewart Show”, BRAVO’s “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List”, TLC’s “Bringing Home Baby” and ABC’s “The One”. Kurt also produced the theme song for a pilot episode of “Family Values” starring Rob Riggle (Daily Show). Julia Murney (Wicked, Wild Party) came in to sing vocals at Gellersted’s Brooklyn studio. The project screened as part of the 2007 NY Television Festival.

Since 2002, Kurt has been collaborating with book writer Will Brumley and composer/lyricist Brooke Fox on several musical theatre projects. Most recently, he wrote the music and played guitar in the pit for “Williamsburg! The Musical”, which enjoyed a sold-out run at the Village Theatre as part of the 2007 NY International Fringe Festival. Frank Scheck of the NYPost hailed the shows “Witty Songs” and the show took home a Fringe NYC Overall Excellence Award for Music and Lyrics.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

2007 FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award – Music & Lyrics for “Williamsburg! The Musical”

ASCAPlus Award, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

NYU Graduate Student Composer of the Year Award, 2002

The Weston Noble Vocal Music Scholarship, 1996-2000

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SITE LAST UPDATED: 10/18/09