Kurt Rosenberg Finds Home Through Music And Travel
Kurt Rosenberg is a composer, music producer, and traveler. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he began his travels by
attending the University of South Carolina as an undergraduate, studying
history and British Studies. Inspired to study abroad, he then attended the
University of Bath in England, even visiting neighboring countries of Scotland,
Wales, and Ireland.
Music played a large part in Rosenberg’s
upbringing. He reminisces on early memories of his mother and father playing
classical music, which sparked his interest.
“I started composing my own music at age 12. I even wrote a piece that the Ainsworth School Orchestra played at their annual concert. I started to compose my own Pop songs in my mid-teens, heavily influenced by The Beatles, Cat Stevens, and Elton John. And when I heard ‘Harry’s Game’ by Clannad, my love affair with Celtic Music began in earnest.”
Since then, Rosenberg has been composing
Scottish and Irish music for over 25 years. His music is a collective of
various genres that revolve around Celtic, pop, jazz, film scores, and the
styles of the 40s and 50s. He would like for his music to be as memorable as
the music he listens to. “My dream is to hear folks singing, or humming, one of
my songs after they’ve heard it in a movie or on TV. That would be so
gratifying!”
Rosenberg’s beautifully composed and written
song “Highland Home” is not only a homage to the Scottish Highlands and Islands
of Scotland but to the feeling of wanting to return wherever we call home.
“Longing to get back home, to return to a place that fulfills us and brings us joy… I hope that people, no matter where they are from, will feel the universal calling of a place called home.”
The story of how Rosenberg came about writing this piece all started in Scotland. “Some 15 years ago, I was touring Brodick Castle on the Scottish Isle of Arran. When my brother told one of the guides that I played piano, I was invited to play some of my original music in Lady Hamilton’s Drawing Room. After I was done playing, the whole castle erupted into applause. Upon returning home, and inspired by that visit, I sat down and composed the Highland Home song melody.”
Throughout his career, Rosenberg recalls the
times when he composed music for films. Several prestigious international film
festivals acknowledged his producing work for Highland Home. The music short film was selected for screening and
won many awards that include a platinum Remi Award from World-Fest, a
Director’s Choice Award at Santa Barbara’s International Fine Arts Film
Festival, and the Best Music Video Award at Bath’s Jane Austen International
Film Festival.
With great success comes great opposition.
Simply put, Rosenberg says, “Operating in the music and film industries can be
challenging at times.”
Facing a global shutdown, there was no more
visiting friends, family, or going to events we once enjoyed. Travel
restrictions halted work and gatherings that Rosenberg had been planning; with
everyone separated, setting follow-ups with others was another hurdle. Multiple
changes resulted in Rosenberg and his team missing out on partnerships with
networks and professionals in both the film and music industries.
With the normalcy of the world returning,
Rosenberg has many goals for himself in the future. One is to have his songs
become a part of films and televisions, as well as to collaborate and partner
with the world’s finest artists and composers from the theater industry.
Rosenberg also wants to create bonds with his fans on a deeper level, as an
international composer and film producer. He is well on the road to becoming
the world’s leading composer and songwriter, “bringing melody back to music.”
Follow @KRosenbergMusic on Twitter to keep up
with his adventures.