Kurt Bestor
Encyclopedia
Kurt Roland Bestor is an American
composer, arranger, and performer.
, and raised in Orem, Utah
, graduating from Orem High School in 1976. His grandfather played trumpet in Tommy Dorsey
's band and his great uncle played trombone in Jack Benny
's band. He got his start in music as his parents "required" their children to take piano lessons, which he didn't always enjoy. He was envious of his friends who were out playing football and other sports while he was stuck practicing piano. One day his mother told him to "play something that sounds like a sunrise." He came up with something he said wasn't much, but it opened the door to a new level of enjoyment with the piano; composing. He says he still hasn't written a song especially for his mother, but hopes to be good enough to do that some day. He also learned to play the trumpet, playing in the pep band in high school. He is an accomplished trumpeter, pianist and composer, as evidenced in his concerts and recordings, along with a few vocals. Some vocals are synthesized with his keyboard, as in his famous Prayer of the Children
.
Bestor has released over a dozen CDs including several Christmas CDs. His Christmas concerts have become an annual Utah tradition since 1988. Bestor, in conjunction with Utah composer Sam Cardon
, released a CD, Innovators, in 1995, and a sequel in 2001. Innovators contained probably his most famous song, Prayer of the Children
which was written in memory of the children of Yugoslavia in light of the Yugoslav wars
.
In addition, Bestor appears in the TV commercial "The Concert" which promotes encouragement and is sponsored by the Foundation for a Better Life. The commercial indicates it is based on a true story.
In 2005, Bestor began hosting a morning radio talk show, geared towards women, on KUTR
820 AM in Salt Lake City, Utah
. He has also composed music introductions for numerous television programs, including Good Morning America
and Monday Night Football
.http://www.ldsmusicworld.com/artists/kurt_bestor.html
Bestor is a National Advisor for ASCEND: A Humanitarian Alliance
. This non-profit organization plans expeditions to African and South American countries to provide life skills mentoring with sustainable solutions in education, enterprise, health and simple technology.
Bestor studied music at Brigham Young University
graduating with a BA degree in Studio Composition. He also received an honorary degree from Utah Valley University in 1998.
's TV themes for the 1988 Winter Olympics
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer, arranger, and performer.
Biography
Bestor was born in Waukesha, WisconsinWaukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha...
, and raised in Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
, graduating from Orem High School in 1976. His grandfather played trumpet in Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
's band and his great uncle played trombone in Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
's band. He got his start in music as his parents "required" their children to take piano lessons, which he didn't always enjoy. He was envious of his friends who were out playing football and other sports while he was stuck practicing piano. One day his mother told him to "play something that sounds like a sunrise." He came up with something he said wasn't much, but it opened the door to a new level of enjoyment with the piano; composing. He says he still hasn't written a song especially for his mother, but hopes to be good enough to do that some day. He also learned to play the trumpet, playing in the pep band in high school. He is an accomplished trumpeter, pianist and composer, as evidenced in his concerts and recordings, along with a few vocals. Some vocals are synthesized with his keyboard, as in his famous Prayer of the Children
Prayer of the Children
Prayer of the Children is a contemporary ballad written by Kurt Bestor and arranged for choir by Andrea S. Klouse. The piece is currently available in solo versions with piano accompaniment and arranged for SATB, TTBB, or SSAA a cappella choirs.The first choral performance of the song was given by...
.
Bestor has released over a dozen CDs including several Christmas CDs. His Christmas concerts have become an annual Utah tradition since 1988. Bestor, in conjunction with Utah composer Sam Cardon
Sam Cardon
Sam Cardon is an Emmy Award winning composer whose credits include 9 large-format films:Texas, The Big Picture, Lewis and Clark, The Legendary Journeys, Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure, Mysteries of Egypt, Olympic Glory, Whales, Building the Dream at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California;...
, released a CD, Innovators, in 1995, and a sequel in 2001. Innovators contained probably his most famous song, Prayer of the Children
Prayer of the Children
Prayer of the Children is a contemporary ballad written by Kurt Bestor and arranged for choir by Andrea S. Klouse. The piece is currently available in solo versions with piano accompaniment and arranged for SATB, TTBB, or SSAA a cappella choirs.The first choral performance of the song was given by...
which was written in memory of the children of Yugoslavia in light of the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.
In addition, Bestor appears in the TV commercial "The Concert" which promotes encouragement and is sponsored by the Foundation for a Better Life. The commercial indicates it is based on a true story.
In 2005, Bestor began hosting a morning radio talk show, geared towards women, on KUTR
KUTR
KUTR is a radio station in Salt Lake City, Utah broadcast at 820 kHz AM. The radio station is owned by Julie Epperson and features a Contemporary Christian format....
820 AM in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. He has also composed music introductions for numerous television programs, including Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
.http://www.ldsmusicworld.com/artists/kurt_bestor.html
Bestor is a National Advisor for ASCEND: A Humanitarian Alliance
ASCEND: A Humanitarian Alliance
Ascend: A Humanitarian Alliance is a registered 501 nonprofit organization which focuses on international economic and health care development in Africa and South America. Headquarters are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, with full-time offices in Ethiopia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador and affiliates...
. This non-profit organization plans expeditions to African and South American countries to provide life skills mentoring with sustainable solutions in education, enterprise, health and simple technology.
Bestor studied music at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
graduating with a BA degree in Studio Composition. He also received an honorary degree from Utah Valley University in 1998.
Emmy Award
ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's TV themes for the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
Notable works
- Prayer of the ChildrenPrayer of the ChildrenPrayer of the Children is a contemporary ballad written by Kurt Bestor and arranged for choir by Andrea S. Klouse. The piece is currently available in solo versions with piano accompaniment and arranged for SATB, TTBB, or SSAA a cappella choirs.The first choral performance of the song was given by...
- The Secret Garden Original score performed by Imagine Ballet Theater*
External links
- Personal website
- Personal blog
- Kurt Bestor on IMDb