Karen M. Hilderbrand
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|
Karen M. Hilderbrand | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 16, 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, author |
| Years active | 1987–present |
Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand (born 1962) is an American songwriter and author publishing children's educational materials, based in Akron, Ohio.
Early life and education[edit]
Hilderbrand was born Karen Mitzo on July 16, 1962, along with her twin sister Kim. She attended Purdue University and graduated in 1985 with a degree in Industrial Engineering.
Career[edit]
Hilderbrand began writing songs in 1987 with her sister Kim Thompson, and after five years they began working full-time to create educational materials. They have since created more than 500 albums, written 3,000 songs and produced 160 e-books and 700 audiobooks.[1] They have also produced 15 mobile apps.[2][3] Hilderbrand is the CEO of Creative IP, LLC. and Twin Sisters Digital Media, headquartered in Stow, Ohio.[4] In 2012, Scholastic announced a distribution agreement with Twin Sisters for musical and non-fiction e-books.[5]
Discography[edit]
Hilderbrand and Thompson have total album sales of more than 50 million, including one RIAA certified platinum and eight certified gold albums. All albums are released under the Twin Sisters Productions label.
| Title | Details | Certifications[6] | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phonics |
|
US: Gold | |
| Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child |
|
US: Gold | |
| Classical Music |
|
US: Gold | |
| 2002 Christmas Jazz |
|
US: Gold | |
| 102 Children's Songs |
|
US: Gold | |
| Nature Sounds |
|
US: Platinum | 2,000,000+ |
| Traditional Lullabies |
|
US: Gold | |
| Christmas Memories |
|
US: Gold | |
| Acoustic Christmas |
|
US: Gold |
Awards and recognitions[edit]
- National Parenting Publications (NAPPA) Gold Award (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010[7])
- Dr. Toy's 10 Best Toys Winner (2009)[8]
- Learning Magazine's Teachers Choice Award (1995, 2002, 2004)[8]
- iParenting Media Award (2003, 2004)[8]
- National Parenting Center Seal of Approval (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009)[8]
- National Parenting Publications Award (2012)[9]
- Smart Business Magazine Northeast Ohio Smart 50 Award (2017)[10]
- Voting member of The Recording Academy (NARAS)
- Prior member of Society of Women Engineers
- Prior member of Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
References[edit]
- ^ Kroll, Kathryn. "Twin Sisters Productions finds niche with products that help children learn using music". Cleveland.com. April 15, 2009. Accessed October 10, 2017.
- ^ "Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand." Openbooks. Accessed October 26, 2017.
- ^ Kelly, Marguerite. "Finding the right gifts for kids this holiday season." Bangor Daily News, December 1, 2013. Accessed October 26, 2017.
- ^ "Twin Sisters IP, LLC." Bloomberg. Accessed October 26, 2017.
- ^ "Storia, The Teacher-Recommended eReading App For Kids Created By Scholastic, To Offer Titles From Twin Sisters Productions." CISION, November 19, 2012. Accessed October 26, 2017.
- ^ RIAA Gold & Platinum Program. Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "NAPPA Gold Award-Winners: Books, Music, Software, Websites & Video Games." Washington Parents. December 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Awards." accessed October 10, 2017
- ^ Beaman, Britney. "Twin Sisters ProductionsWins 2012 National Parenting Publications Award." Stow Patch, October 30, 2012. Accessed October 27, 2017.
- ^ "Northeast Ohio’s 2017 Smart 50 Awards celebrate area’s top executives." Smart Business. June 2, 2017. Accessed October 26, 2017.