Biography

Kristel studied a BMUS and MMUS degree at WITS University. For her academic performance at WITS she was awarded a Scholarship for music as well as prizes for the best string player. During her studies, she performed regularly at the Lunch Hour concerts, the Wits orchestra concerts and for the Wits Baroque Ensemble.

After completing her degree, she continued performing with various classical ensembles, jazz groups, bands and musical theatre productions.

Her performing career has included a variety music genres and platforms; from classical festivals and lunch hour concerts to big brand product launches and advertising videos. She has made guest appearances for local TV Dramas as a violinist on e-TV’s Backstage (2005) and numerous times on Egoli (2006/7/9) Binnerlanders (2015) and The Queen (2021).

Kristel has collaborated on a number of recordings. She has self-released 10 albums and has been nominated twice for the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) in 2010 and 2020.

She has also recently toured The Netherlands, France and Germany with her duo Cherry Pill. In 2021 her duo Cherry Pill were picked as finalists in the International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA) for one of their original songs titled ‘The Wheel Keeps Turning’.

Awards/Nominations

  • SAMA Nomination South African Music Awards 2010,2020

  • AfriMusic Song Competition nominee with Cherry Pill 2018,2019

  • International Acoustic Music Awards Nomination

  • 2021 for Cherry Pill’s Single ‘The Wheel Keeps Turning’

Other Musical Activities

  • Live Musician

  • Session Musician

  • Songwriter / Music Composition

  • String Arranging

  • Vocalist

  • Music Teacher

  • Piano Player

  • Flute Player

Online Portfolio Links


As Songwriter/Violinist/Band

Discography

Albums:

  • Burning Bridges (2008)

  • The Sea in Spring (2009)

  • Gloria Volume 1: Christmas Carols for Violin and Guitar (2012)

  • Chocolate Box by Cherry Pill (2014)

  • Si Tu Savais by Cherry Pill (2016)

  • This is Love (2018) Christmas Carols for Violin and Guitar

  • Gloria Volume 2: Christmas Carols for Violin and Guitar (2018)

  • Vignettes for Violin (2019)

Vocal Singles Releases:

  • Tears that Flow (2020)

  • The Wheel Keeps Turning (2020)

  • Fall Apart

  • Simple Love

Instrumental Singles Releases:

  • Tears that Flow (Instrumental) (2020)

  • The Wheel Keeps Turning (Instrumental) (2020)

Albums available at: https://kristelbirkholtz.bandcamp.com and  https://cherrypill.bandcamp.com

Video Playlists

Classical

Live Concerts

Cover Songs

Jazz Violin

Original Music

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Press Links

-2 March 2021
Sandton Chronicle
Music Duo discuss how lockdown has helped diversify their offering.

-4 August 2020
Kristel Birkholtz-SAMA Nominee-Best Classical Album
2020 SAMA Awards Nominees

-24 February 2020
Artslink: Cherry Pill song nominated for AfriMusic contest

-19 February 2021
Online Interview with Dayle ‘Double-D’ Robyn on Uncut Media

-15 February 2021
Finalists in International Acoustic Music Competition

-31 January 2021
Song Release Press on Maxazine.nl

-November 2019
Inflight Magazine Coverage (pg. 83 of November 2019 issue)
Inflight Magazine

-2019 Afrimusic Song Competition -SA Finalists under ‘Cherry Pill’

-20 June 2010
An explosion of talent called Kristel

-Cool classic kidz site:
Kristel Birkholtz: Role Model to Cool Classic Kidz

SAMAS
News24: 2010 SAMA Nominees