Award-winning coloratura soprano, Kirsten Ashley Wiest, is firmly committed to the evolution of classical vocal music. Her "bright, dazzling vocal technique" (San Diego Story) has captivated composers worldwide, resulting in over 80 world premiere performances including works by Veronika Krausas (CA/US), James Erber (UK), Gérard Pape (FR), Alba Potes (CO/US/IT), Dana Kaufman (US), Jeffrey Holmes (US), and Grawemeyer Award-winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Lei Liang (CN/US).

Kirsten has performed and recorded alongside numerous GRAMMY winners, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Partch ensemble, and members of the National Symphony of Taiwan, among many others. She has presented recitals on concert series' hosted by Boston Court Pasadena, Tuesdays@MONK, Automata, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, Harvey Mudd College, Chapman University, and many others. She has recorded for several installations, interactive operatic experiences, and film scores including The Unholy and the Conjuring series. Her voice can be heard on recordings released by Sony Classical, Centaur Records, MicroFest Records, innova recordings, and Albany Records, among others.

Equally at home with music of the past, Kirsten has headlined as "Mabel" in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance and as "Polly Peachum" in Weill's ThreePenny Opera. She has appeared as soprano soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Coronation Mass in C Major, K.317, and Orff’s Carmina Burana.

Kirsten holds a DMA in Contemporary Music Performance in Voice from UC San Diego, MFA from California Institute of the Arts, and BM cum laude from Chapman University’s Conservatory of Music. Alongside performing, Kirsten teaches voice at San Bernardino Valley College and University of California Riverside, and serves on the Board of Directors for Southern California Philharmonic and Arrowhead Arts Association.