About me
Keisha Hutchins Hirlinger
A classically trained musician at the Oberlin Conservatory as well as a singer-songwriter and educator, Keisha is passionate about music education and creating access to musical experiences for all children and communities. In addition to teaching music at Abington Friends School, she is a past recipient of the Leeway Foundation’s Art and Change grant for women who use their art to create social change. Keisha uses her platform as both a performer and educator to bring attention to social justice issues through both her own performances and educational concerts, collaborating with artist-activists from Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
Keisha’s commitment to creating music experiences for all led her to be sought out to serve as a music workshop facilitator for ARTZ Philadelphia, an organization that provides arts experiences for those living with dementia and their care partners. Soon after, she was asked to spearhead and lead the ARTZ Notes program, serving as the lead facilitator and curator for the program.
In March of 2017, Keisha curated and debuted a 90-minute-long performance called Going Home as a part of Intercultural Journey’s 2016-2017 season, Cultural Migrations through Artistry. The concert was an artistic exploration of being a Black, female artist in America, incorporating music from a variety of genres and traditions, from arias to jazz to spirituals, and included her own original music.
In 2022, Keisha, along with her husband, percussionist, composer, and educator, Doug Hirlinger, was commissioned to write music for the Fairmount Water Works exhibit, Pool: A Social History of Segregation. Their suite, Water Speaks, explores the experiences and connections of Black people to the water from the water's perspective.
Keisha lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Doug Hirlinger, and their two children.
