By MIKE DUNHAM
Kirsten Gunlogson: Willow mezzo in running for Grammy.
Sunday night’s Grammy Awards will find Kirsten Gunlogson, born and raised in Willow, on the edge of her seat. The mezzo-soprano is in the running for the recording industry’s award in the category of Best Classical Album of 2009. She’s featured in the CD of Maurice Ravel’s opera, “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges,” recorded with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. The Maurice Sendak-style story follows a naughty child whose abused toys, furniture and animals transform into animated agents of retribution to teach him a lesson in respect.

Gunlogson played flute with the Anchorage Youth Symphony, sang with what is now the Anchorage Concert Chorus, won the Anchorage Symphony’s Cassetta Scholarship and was the Anchorage District winner of the Metropolitan Opera tryouts in 1998, going on to the regionals where she did well.

She’s currently assistant professor in the University of Utah’s School of Music and has a distinguished resume with major roles (Maddalena in "Rigoletto," Hansel, as in "...and Gretel," and a couple of Carmens) in regional companies.

We've linked to pertinent websites about her HERE and HERE.