She is a classically trained singer-songwriter, keyboardist,
arranger, producer, composer, musical director, music teacher and author occasionally
listed as Darlene Kolden-Haven and Darlene Kolden-Hoven, born to a musical
family on the Southside of Chicago.Able to sing harmonies by the time she was three years old, she sang
her first solo on Easter Sunday in her local church.Taking her first formal studies in
piano when she was 9, her later years saw her taking singing lessons when
she was 16 and later still attending the Chicago Conservatory College graduating
with degrees in voice and musical education. She moved to Los Angeles from and making herself known
for her improvisation ability, she has been called upon by artists and
groups from classical to popular music who include Laura Branigan, Peter
Cetera, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ray Conniff, Celine Dion, Agnetha
Faltskog, Crystal Gayle, Abraham Laboriel, Kenny Loggins, REO Speedwagon, the
Royal Philharmonic and Barbra Streisand.No stranger to the recording studio she features on
albums such as her own Keys to the World, Free To Serve, Heavenly Peace
and the award winning Infinite Voice as well as Fandango by
Herb Alpert, Christmas Album by David Foster, Love is on the
Radio by Tom Jones, A Momentary Lapse of Reason by Pink Floyd, Back
to Front by Lionel Richie, Time Takes Time by Ringo Starr, Every
Beat of My Heart by Rod Stewart and Living With War by Neil
Young among others.As the
soloist on Yanni, Live at the Acropolis, an estimated 1.5 billion
people watched her when it was broadcast on PBS, she was the musical
director and appeared as the tambourinist nun in both of the Sister Act
movies and she was seen duetting with Robin Williams at the 2000 Academy
Award Ceremony.In the world
of computer gaming, many players hear her as a vocalist in the games Harry
Potter: Chamber of Secrets and Baldur's Gate.Tying together musical education
and charitable work, she visited and become involved in coaching musicians
from Sierra Leone in West Africa, some of whom she has asked to accompany
her on tour.She has also
formed the Young Vocal Artists of Los Angeles professional children's
choir.As an author she has
written the instructional book Tune Your Voice and her also provided
7 accompanying CDs.
