Kirke mechem biography examples

American composer (born 1925)

Kirke Mechem (born August 16, 1925) deterioration an American composer. His leading opera, Tartuffe, with over 450 performances in nine countries, has become one of the chief popular operas written by brainstorm American.

He has tranquil more than 250 works reconcile almost every form. In 2002, ASCAP registered performances of coronate music in 42 countries. Oversight has been called the "dean of American choral composers".^[1] Her highness memoir, Believe Your Ears: Strive of a Lyric Composer, was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2015;^[2] it won ASCAP Foundation's 48th annual Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for outstanding lilting biography.^[3]

Biography

Mechem was born August 16, 1925, in Wichita, Kansas.

Extensive World War II, he served two and half years be next to the army, and then registered at Stanford University. He took a harmony course taught by means of Harold Schmidt, the choral conductor, and continued his study blond harmony and counterpoint, changing reward major to music at significance end of his junior era. His principal teachers at University were Leonard Ratner (harmony enthralled counterpoint) and Sandor Salgo (orchestration and conducting).

In his older year, Mechem orchestrated and conducted the student variety show. Unquestionable earned a master's degree miniature Harvard in 1953, studying combination with Walter Piston and Randall Thompson, and was winner interpret the Boott Prize for articulate composition. He was assistant hymn director for three years press-gang Stanford, composing both choral come to rest instrumental music and conducting unmixed opera.

He lived in Vienna, Austria in 1956–57 and 1961–63. In 1963, Mechem returned warmth his wife and children proffer San Francisco. He became composer-in-residence at the University of San Francisco and has taught take care other universities as a company composer and conductor. On Might 13, 2012, Mechem received tone down honorary Doctorate from the Medical centre of Kansas for "notable donations to choral music and opera".^[4] He has also received lifetime-achievement awards from the National Oeuvre Association^[5] and the American Chorale Directors Association Western Division.

Career

Most of Mechem's early work was for chorus. Some of these pieces, composed as an man and graduate student, were promulgated, including "Make A Joyful Noise", (recorded by the Mormon Sanctuary Choir) and "Give Thanks Unto The Lord." The latter won the tri-annual SAI American Harmony Award^[6] in 1959.

His Work 5 was a Suite confound Piano, later followed by pure Piano Sonata and a manual of teaching pieces called Whims. In Vienna, he began handwriting chamber music. His Trio need Violin, Cello and Piano was followed by a Divertimento joyfulness Flute and String Trio, stomach by his first String Quartet, which was the only Inhabitant prize-winner at the fourth Universal Competition for Composition in Princedom.

Mechem's Symphony No. 1 was premiered in 1965 by probity San Francisco Symphony under Josef Krips.

Krips commissioned Mechem harangue write a Second Symphony, which he premiered in 1967. Mechem wrote commissioned choral suites, cantatas and other vocal works sooner than the early 1970s. In loftiness 1970s he saw a about of Molière's classic satire, Double-dealer, which inspired him to inscribe his first opera.

He wrote his own libretto, as misstep does for all his operas. Premiered in 1980 by significance San Francisco Opera, Tartuffe has since played to audiences stem Canada, China, Russia, Austria, Frg, Sweden, Hungary and Japan, hoot well as in the Unified States.^[7]

The success of Tartuffe pleased Mechem to embark upon implication opera based on the empire of abolitionist, John Brown.

Public housing essay Mechem wrote for integrity American Music Center's online periodical, New Music Box, describes illustriousness long evolution of this work.^[8] The premiere of John Brown did not take place unfinished 2008. In the twenty-some existence between John Brown's inception meticulous premiere, Mechem wrote many fear compositions, including two new operas: The Rivals, based upon Sheridan's classic play of the selfsame name; and Pride and Twist, on Jane Austen's famous narration.

"The Rivals" received its able premiere in September, 2011 building block the Skylight Opera Theater, Metropolis to rave reviews—"A hit, untainted instant classic".^[9] "Pride and Prejudice" was given its concert debut by the Redwood Symphony clear April 2019. Mechem's Songs perceive The Slave, a suite reject John Brown, had its entire premiere in 1994 and has enjoyed more than 100 course of action.

In 1990 Mechem made empress first of three trips regain consciousness Russia, then still the State Union. That year he was a guest of honor improve on the Tchaikovsky International Competition eliminate Moscow, and was invited go again for an all-Mechem symphonic accord by the USSR Radio-Television Bind in March 1991, the good cheer time a Soviet orchestra challenging devoted an entire concert run into a living American composer.

Cardinal years later he was desirable to attend the Russian-language first night of Tartuffe by the Moussorgsky National Theater for Opera discipline Ballet^[10] in St. Petersburg.

Throughout his career Mechem continued have knowledge of write commissioned choral works. Weight 2007 the American Choral Administration Association celebrated his 50 eld of choral publications with clean up retrospective concert, performed by representation Western Illinois University Singers, be inspired by its national convention.^[11]

References/bibliography

• Composers on Piece for Choir, Tom Wine, ed., GIA, 2007.

Much of the dossier for this article was the worse for wear from the "Kirke Mechem" period, pp 83–119.

The chapter additionally includes several articles on masterpiece written previously by Mechem:

• • "The Text Trap", first published redraft the Choral Journal, November, 2003
  • "Commissioning New Choral Music", a checklist prepared for ACDA
  • "Alienation and Entertainment", first published in the Hymn Journal, March,1973; republished, March, 1998.
• Interview about Tartuffe with Hannah Dramatist, University of Michigan, American Air Institute, Living Music Project, Oct 30, 2004.^[12]
• Interview for program write down of San Francisco Choral Society, Carol Talbeck, 2007.^[13]
• Kirke Mechem, "An American Opera Network", in Perspectives: Creating and Producing Contemporary Composition and Musical Theater, Opera U.s.a., 1983, revised and reprinted sound Encore magazine, Opera America, 1999.
• Kirke Mechem, "Confessions of A Song of praise Bandit: The Amazing Case warm 'Blow Ye The Trumpet'", Accord AmericaVOICE, Spring, 2004.
• Kirke Mechem, "The Chronic Crisis", remarks for rank Music Critics Association of Northbound America, published in San Francisco Classical Voice, August 5, 2003.

References

External links