Published: September 27, 2026 · 5:23 AM EDT
The Sister Act performer earns honors for her solo piano album ‘A Grand Memoir’ and the audiobook of ‘Put Your Dress Down and Sing’
According to promotional materials supplied to Rockum, Grammy Award-winning vocalist, pianist and composer Darlene Koldenhoven received five honors at the 2026 Indie Music Channel Awards, with the recognition spanning her new solo piano album A Grand Memoir and the audiobook edition of her memoir, Put Your Dress Down and Sing.
The materials state that Koldenhoven received Best Easy Listening Songwriter for “Jacaranda Joy” and Best Easy Listening Female Artist for “Le Petit Carrousel,” while the audiobook received three additional honors: Best Spoken Word Producer, Best Spoken Word Artist and Best Spoken Word Recording. Music from A Grand Memoir is used as underscore throughout the audiobook.
Released August 7 through TimeArt Recordings, A Grand Memoir is Koldenhoven’s third solo piano album and her 14th release on the label. The record contains 10 original New Age–Classical Crossover compositions, including one improvisation, and was developed alongside the memoir rather than as an unrelated studio project.
Koldenhoven recorded the album live on January 22, 2026, on a 1926 Steinway Model L grand piano with its original strings and ivory keys. According to the artist, the compositions began taking shape from musical ideas she experienced in dreams while writing Put Your Dress Down and Sing.
The new project follows a career that has crossed jazz, film, television and concert music. The Recording Academy credits Koldenhoven with one Grammy win from three nominations. She is also known for her featured soprano performance in Yanni: Live at the Acropolis and for appearing as a choir nun in both Sister Act films starring Whoopi Goldberg.
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The five Indie Music Channel Awards add to recognition A Grand Memoir has received from several independent classical crossover and New Age organizations during 2026. Rather than standing alone, the album and audiobook form two sides of the same autobiographical project, connecting Koldenhoven’s recent piano compositions with stories from her decades-long career in music and entertainment.
Watch Darlene Koldenhoven perform on Yanni’s “Aria” from Live at the Acropolis below:
Written by Gino Alache – Music Journalist
IMAGE CREDIT: Promotional photograph.
