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 a common space for harmonic overtones

kiva Female
Prague
Czech Republic
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kiva

Music

Biography

Kiva is a Canadian overtone singer/ keyboardist (now based in Prague) with international recognition as a western pioneer, combining overtone singing with world beat/jazz/pop music. She is frequently called upon for live and recorded vocal improvisation with other artists. These include Tanya Tagaq, Lisa Walker (improvisation with whale song), New Millennium Orchestra, Olla Vogala Orchestra, The Ormidales, Live Ullmann, Ring Cycle Orchestra, Strange Angels, Vladiswar Nadishana, and Wimme. She is a member of the European Overtone Choir and Spektrum overtone choir.

Her diversified career, starting around 1978, began with a solid basis of classical and jazz piano training. The early professional years included stints in several rock, pop and R & B bands. Later on, she performed extensively as a solo act, including a jazz circuit in Japan. As a writer, she cites influences from a wide variety of artists: Jane Siberry, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Ferron, Sting, Yma Sumac, Claude Debussy, Bobby McFerrin, Bulgarian women’s choirs, East Indian classical, and Tuvan singers.

Ongoing attention for her innovations in harmonic overtone singing has led to some unusual performance situations. International appearances have included: guest vocalist with orchestra »Olla Vogala« in Brugge, Belgium (2002), main stage artist at KIEKU throat singing festival in Helsinki, Finland and Nordic House in Reykjavik, Iceland (’01), and only foreign female artist at the International Symposium of Throat Singing in the Republic of Tuva, Russia (1995). In May /08 she performed at the International Polyphonic Festival of Albania (in ancient ruins with her laptop). She was also world tour member with the Crash Test Dummies at the height of their fame, in support of »God Shuffled His Feet« in 1994-1995, where she demonstrated overtoning at each concert. Venues included the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London, and appearances on Saturday Night Live and David Letterman in New York City.

Her debut »The Ladder« (1998) has dreamy, metaphorically rich offerings and elements of jazz, pop, impressionism and worldbeat. Cultural influences such as Tuvan, East Indian, Celtic, Balinese and Japanese are apparent. Roughly half the tracks on »The Ladder« contain some form of this technique. Lyrically, it’s an expression of her personal, theoretical and global ponderings, full of lush imagery and wordplay.

This all comes together with hair raising harmonies and highly melodic vocals that are simultaneously sweet, powerful, innocent and exotic.;

Kiva continues to stretch musical boundaries with the release of »Pulse«. It falls into the category of 'otherworldly worldbeat'. She creates layers of textural vocals with mostly imaginary language (»vocables«), sometimes imitating instruments, combining this with rhythms from several different cultures. Latin, African, East Indian, Caribbean, and even a little Klezmer, are influences that appear in »Pulse«.

The uplifting results are unique hybrids that meld East and »new« West. From »The Ladder«, »Pulse« and beyond, all her work documents an unorthodox history of study, performance, world travel and experimentation.

Profile Information

Instruments:
keyboards, voice
Influences:
Bobby McFerrin, Issa, Lisa Gerrard, Huun-Huur-Tuu, Sheila Chandra, Yma Sumac, Tanya Tagaq, Kevin Breit, Imogen Heap, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Steely Dan, Bjork, Sun Ra, Bulgarian choirs, East Indian Classical, Cuban ...
Homepage:
http://harmonicovertones.com
MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/kivamusic

Kiva's Blog

kiva

New workshop series and choir

Kiva has been signed with the Prague Overtone Festival organization to teach a series of workshops throughout 2009 titled 'Vocal Freedom through Overtone Mastery'. The opening event took place on Feb 13-14 with showcase concerts and lectures. 2009 marks the first year that year-round activities will take place in the form of intensive workshop weekends. She will also be forming her own overtone choir with original compositions and experimental works. There will be approximately 14 rehearsals, wi… Continue

Posted on February 21, 2009 at 10:30am —

kiva

Kiva's new website

Kiva is pleased to announce that her newly designed website is now online.

Please visit :
www.kivaweb.com

Your remarks are always appreciated!

Posted on November 26, 2008 at 10:55am — 1 Comment

kiva

Overtone arrangements offered

I am offering my services creating vocal overtone arrangements for your songs (or somebody else's!). The notation is written both with the upper melody in standard notation and with the numbered harmonics above the bass line. The arrangement will be as close as possible to the original, given the restrictions of the harmonic series. (Certain small alternatives for fundamental/bass pitches may be required). It is singable by an experienced polyphonic overtone singer. If desired, a demo mp3 may be… Continue

Posted on November 26, 2008 at 10:52am —

Latest Activity

Jan Stanek is attending Jan Stanek's eventJune 24
August 27, 2009 at 6pm to August 30, 2009 at 1pm
Zu dem Festival Bohemia Cantat gehört 1. in gewünschtem Atelier zu singen (zirka 50 Leute), 2. zusammen singen (zirka 500 Leute), 3.die Konzerte zu besuchen, 4. am gesseligen Abend tanzen und Spass haben, 5. neue Freunde zu treffen.
kiva and kiva were featuredMay 25
Koichi Makigami is now connected to kiva April 27
kiva is now connected to Barbara Lübben, PATROUX and Jan MarmenoutApril 22
Barbara Lübben left a comment for kivaApril 22
2 blog posts by kiva were featuredApril 17
A song by kiva was featuredMarch 8
 play Sedna - Kiva
unreleased
02:30

Comment Wall (48 comments)

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At 7:12pm on April 22, 2009, Barbara Lübben said…
one by one is still their in the air... Thank you! I hope to sing more of this next year :-)))
Barbara
At 2:01pm on February 26, 2009, Arjopa said…
Shagaa Bile dear Kiva!!

We wish you a happy, healthy, fruit- & successful New Year of the Earth Cow!!
May all your wishes & plans come true in this year of butter & cream!!

Shagaa Bile!!

Khoomei Throatsinging Country Punk Greetings from Berlin!!

Arjopa & The Master U-like

At 11:28am on February 7, 2009, Dieter Strothmann said…
Hai Kiva,
music is the doctor. Thanx for your art.

SINGING PERCUSSION
freeartmusic live
Love, Peace & Respect: Dieter Strothmann
At 11:26pm on December 9, 2008, Wolfgang Saus said…
I would have tried to come to Prague today, but unfortunately got the message only today. Hope to see you soon.
Wolfgang
At 11:24pm on December 9, 2008, Wolfgang Saus said…
Dear Kiva, wow... 1000 congratualtions! Just got the message...
At 12:46pm on November 25, 2008, Iman Kamel said…
dear kiva, ja I am very thankfull for your beautiuful comment, for sure I would love to meet you once you are in Berlin, and for me it is very easy to be in Prague, this is my beloved town, so we will see where the movement goes next, I wish you all beautiful things for your music. with warmness iman
At 11:10pm on November 10, 2008, fiona said…
Hello beautyful woman,

I am enjoying Your joyful music!
Green greetings,

fiona
At 4:31am on October 26, 2008, Roger Fournier said…
hi kiva. i hope this finds you well. have a great weekend.

roger
At 12:39pm on October 22, 2008, Honza Šíma said…
Hi Kiva!
How are you? I heard you live in Prague now, didn't I? That's great, you know, we can meet sometimes each other. ;-))))))))
Nonni
At 12:57am on October 22, 2008, Litvik Petr said…
ahoj Kiva,so much beautiful music.very nice@:o)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
 
 

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