Release Date: August 7, 2026
Label: TimeArt Recordings
Darlene Koldenhoven delivers a profound testament to exceptional musicianship with A Grand Memoir, a solo piano recording that serves as a companion to her book Put Your Dress Down and Sing.
To coincide with her book Put Your Dress Down and Sing, a memoir, Darlene Koldenhoven is releasing a recording titled A Grand Memoir as a companion to that book.
Darlene’s career spans several decades as a singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and workshop leader in spiritual healing. Her accolades and accomplishments over the years are too many to count.
Sometimes, the most beautiful and expressive music can come from one instrument, and the piano is one of those instruments that creates the purest setting for that. It is, in fact, like a book taking you page by page through the life of one person.
“Love and Devotion” begins this life account and journey with Darlene behind the acoustic piano. An instrument she is very familiar with. I anticipated a lot of emotion flowing through her fingers. The melody immediately pulls you in as the notes enter your space and consciousness, and the track’s title unfolds note by note. This is beauty and feeling captured in the perfection of music.
“Impressions” begins, and my first thought is “artwork,” impressionism. However, in this context, I believe the artist refers to impressions of people she has known and loved over the years, starting with family and extending into her professional life. The piano’s keys are lilting and elegant, sounding like what a ballerina would look like sweeping across the floor with grace and conviction of the art form. Towards the end of the track, the keys undergo a profound shift, with multiple keys sounding as if two people were playing together; it’s quite impressive. An arpeggio, with the volume up a notch for emphasis.
“Lilac Tears” is simplistic in form and executed precisely to give definition to the pain being felt, but some of that is softened by the flower. I heard classical influences and a strong sense of drama being felt throughout this more mellow track. It is mellower for a reason, and the approach is pragmatic to form the story, so you feel the emotion involved.
“Wright’s Romanza” begins like a slow dance with a purpose in mind. The melody is sublime, and the sounds will enrich your environment wherever you listen. Towards the back end of the composition, she moves those keys so fast, it’s a thing of beauty and eloquence, and a musician or listener would appreciate it.
“Caprice” is romanticism set to music for my ears; however, the meaning of the word has different implications. It is a decision made on impulse, for instance, and when there is a transition around midway, you can hear that loveliness of the keys change in a sidestep that captures the word “impulse” because the change is sudden. It is a brief change, then she returns to the more fluid notes we are now accustomed to hearing.
“Jacaranda Joy” is a reference to the absolute beauty of the jacaranda flower. Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae. Assuming that is what this song is about, you must picture the flower, a delicate, colorful, and fragrant living thing that brings so much joy to people. The track’s tempo is measured and slower, fully capturing the artist’s love for this subject matter. The music blooms and thrives as any healthy plant would.
“Le
Petit Carrousel” is an amusement park in France. I felt a sense of sadness in
this track, but a certain beauty and innocence also came through. I think this
was a special place held in the artist’s heart, with wonderful memories
attached. That touch of sadness I felt could be the absence of that location
and time in her life, which she now misses. The piano’s keys sound like tears
of joy and a long look back at a younger, happier day, but a gratefulness for
the memory.
“Winter in Vienna” is a definitive time and a strong memory for the artist. I heard a song with a purpose, meant to take her time to look back, as the keys seem to sing the unspoken words. It felt like a long stroll filled with emotions and reflection. An experience to relive a moment in time held close to the heart. Its sheer beauty and eloquence paint the scenery on the canvas of your soul.
“Gentle Song” is to emphasize the “gentle” touch we all need at times in our lives. The warm embrace of a loved one, the handshake of a friend, the reassuring nod of the head. All the songs that life can sing, there is emotion and depth to it, and you can feel that in the music here. The pace is easy, and the notes of the piano resonate and echo through your consciousness like a gentle invitation to a better place.
“Flying With Kites” is something we all should do more of. It can take you back to being a child and, as an adult, serve as a symbol of freedom as you watch the object float in the air and reach higher into the sky as you continue to add balls of string. I can remember one instance of doing that with the boys from the neighborhood and getting a kite to go as far as possible while buying up all the string from the corner store to advance its flight, something so simple and such a wonderful carefree memory that brought us all so much joy and wonder for one day. The track title sparked that memory, and the piano brought it back to life, bringing a smile to my heart.
This is indeed A Grand Memoir from start to finish—a profound testament to both exceptional musicianship and the transformative power of music itself. This is solo piano work extraordinaire that cannot be missed, performed with technical mastery and emotional depth that elevates each composition beyond mere notes into lived experience.
Darlene Koldenhoven’s virtuosic command of
her instrument serves a higher purpose: to chronicle a life’s journey through
sound, making each memory, emotion, and moment resonate with universal meaning.
These classical-influenced contemporary instrumentals transcend mere
entertainment, becoming an essential soundtrack for a lifetime, speaking to the
human condition itself. Music matters because it captures what words cannot:
the essence of a life fully lived. When you are done listening, you don’t just
feel as if you have lived it; you understand why these stories, these memories,
and this artistry must be preserved and celebrated.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 11, 2026
Originally Published: August 2022
Tracks:
01. Love and Devotion 4:34 D
02. Impressions 4:22 Eb
03. Lilac Tears 4:47 F#m
04. Wright’s Romanza 3:32 C (Improvisation)
05. Caprice :41 D Dorian
06. Jacaranda Joy 3:43 G
07. Le Petite Carrousel 4:48 Ab
08. Winter in Vienna 4:13 Bbm
09. Gentle Song 4:39 F
10. Flying with Kites 3:51 B