Heidi Siegell's voice has been described as "sweet, yet soulfully powerful", "light pouring through crystal." When she was age three, she took it upon herself to sign up to sing "Rise and Shine" in a talent show. Luckily the long, scary, vaudevillian hook they had back then didn't yank her off the stage, and she's been singing ever since. Over the years, she added the violin, trombone and piano to her musical arsenal.
Heidi began composing music in high school, where she placed in a national contest and wrote her school song. Since then, her original compositions have appeared in narrative and documentary films, musical theatre pieces and on websites.
Her album of original songs, "Us Lonely People", was released at the end of 2008. Says reviewer John Berkowitz, "With a booming voice that has tremendous range . . . Heidi's inspirational lyrics . . . lift us from the depths of despair and put us on the winged back of hope."
While she uses her basic instrumental skills when composing, her primary instrument is her voice, which has been featured on stage around the U.S. and Canada in operas, jazz and blues clubs and musical theatre pieces, as well as on many recordings.
Heidi lives in New York City with her husband, composer and producer Rolando Gori, and her four-year-old multi-instrumentalist daughter, Océane. Currently, she is working on an album of original children's songs.
Some other tidbits - Heidi has . . .
- A BA from Columbia College, Columbia University, where she spent much of her time studying music, playing in the jazz band, spinning records on the radio and singing opera.
- Also studied music theory, composition and orchestration at Mannes College of Music.
- Taught singing and songwriting to students ranging in age from 6-70.
- Founded a website for the Happiness Is Here project, which brings artists, charities and those who love them together to find and multiply inspiration.
- Written a few children’s books she hopes to have published soon – perhaps when she releases her upcoming children’s CD.
- Greatly appreciated the benefits of meditiation and the study of Nonviolent Communication (NVC).
- Been known to skydive on occasion.
- Performed onstage and on film as actor, singer, trombonist and, on one occasion, the top of a human cake!
Heidi is a member of ASCAP.