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Biography
Pianist-singer-songwriter Joan
Kurland began her musical career at the age of five, when
she begged her parents for a piano-- and knew how to play it
before taking any lessons!
Joan studied classical piano
at the Manhattan School of Music and the Oberlin
Conservatory, but her claim to fame has always been her
incredible ear. Her ability to play pretty much
anything she hears in any key (she has perfect pitch) makes
her the ideal choice for any special event, since she
doesn't need sheet music to accommodate requests. From
Beethoven to the Beatles, Joan has it all in her head, ready
to pull out when needed.
After completing her
collegiate musical studies, Joan sang and played keyboards
in a highly successful Top-40 band on the East Coast.
The culmination of the band's career was a performance in
front of 10,000 people at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
In 1988, wanting a healthier
and more spiritually oriented life, Joan left the band and
fulfilled her longtime dream of moving to California.
She began playing at Nordstrom, performing at parties and
weddings, and teaching piano and voice. Her longtime
association with the Optimum Health Institute in Lemon
Grove, California, a healing center based around live foods,
inspired her to start writing funny songs about the health
food lifestyle. Her album of parodies, “Eat It Raw:
Food, Love, and Other Disasters,” with its hilarious takes
on such topics as sugar addiction, singlehood, and
wheatgrass juice, has brought laughter to thousands, and was
performed at the Comedy Store in La Jolla to great acclaim.
In the 90s, a relative's bout
with breast cancer prompted Joan to write the healing song,
“I Believe," which she performed on NBC television during
breast cancer awareness month in 2001. This sparked
another facet of Joan’s career—writing spiritually-oriented
songs and performing them at houses of worship and healing
conferences. This has been one of the most deeply
satisfying things she’s ever done—giving comfort to those
who need it and receiving great love and appreciation in
return.
After many requests from fans
for more recordings, Joan recently completed and released a
CD entitled,
“Looking Up: Songs of Hope and
Inspiration,” which features several of her own
compositions, as well as such popular favorites as “The
Rose” and “The Wind Beneath My Wings.” The album is
available through Joan Kurland Music (619)464-2525 and on
the web at
cdbaby.com
In addition to performing “I
Believe” on NBC, Joan has also appeared on television as a
“Jeopardy” contestant, a swing dancer, and as one of the
most politically incorrect people in San Diego. In her
spare time, she loves to swim, walk, dance, and read.
Joan’s goal is to continue to
grow as an artist and a person, so that she can bring her
unique blend of inspiration, healing, and laughter to more
and more people throughout the world.
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