Kile Smith
Composer
The Independence Foundation awards Kile a 2018 Fellowship in the Arts for his first opera, The Book of Job, a unique theatrical work for soloist with chorus. Kile will work with two award-winning artists: conductor Donald Nally and director and dramaturg Edward Sobel.
Craig Hella Johnson conducts Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble in Kile’s concert-length Canticle in January, and a new Alleluia. Grammy-winning producer Blanton Alspaugh records these for a 2018 release. George Case conducts Boston Cecilia in the New England premieres of Canticle and Alleluia in March.
The Arc in the Sky. Donald Nally and The Crossing premiere and record Kile’s newest concert-length work in June, a setting of texts by Robert Lax, the minimalist, mystical writer, and friend and influencer of both Thomas Merton and Jack Kerouac.
For the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8, multiple performances of The Consolation of Apollo in March and April, with Sam Brukhman’s Verdigris Ensemble of Dallas. In May, Robert Hollingworth conducts The 24 in the UK premiere. In October, Red Shift performs it at the College Music Society National Conference in Vancouver, and then in December in Baton Rouge.
The Denver Pro Chorale performs Where Flames a Word in May, and the Northwestern University Singers in June. The Estonian choir Voces Musicales releases a new recording of it in 2018.
Relâche celebrates its 40th anniversary in June with Adieu, Adieu, a new chamber work by Kile, inspired by the late Romulus Franceschini: composer, jazz arranger, longtime stalwart of Relâche, and Kile’s friend and coworker at the Fleisher Collection. Also in June, another performance of Susquehanna by the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra.
Choral Arts Philadelphia performs newly re-orchestrated sections of Vespers in January, for the forces with which Matthew Glandorf paired this, Bach’s Cantata No. 1, Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern.
Lyric Fest releases a CD of Kile’s songs in 2018, including his song cycle for mezzo-soprano and baritone, In This Blue Room. (Photo credit: A. J. Waltz)
Concert Choral
Agnus Dei SATB, orchestra, 15′
Alabanza (Sanchez) vocalist, 7-piece Latin band, opt. orchestra, 6′
Alleluia SATB, 6′
And Good in Every Thing (Shakespeare) SATB, 4’30”
The Chambered Nautilus (Holmes) SATB, 4′
Canticle (St. John of the Cross) SATB, 3 cellos, 1 perc, 66′
The Consolation of Apollo (Boethius, Apollo 8 crew, Genesis 1) SATB, crotales, bass drum played by singers, 35′
Grandmother’s Garden (Archambault) 2-part children’s choir, piano, opt. C instrument, 9′
The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19) SATB, SAB soloists, piano, audience, 4’30”
How Do I Love Thee? (Browning) SSAA, piano or string quartet, 7′
I Could See the Sky (Various) SATB, 2-part children’s choir, piano or string quartet, 17′
May Day (Eckes) SATB, 2-part children’s choir, 10′
Now Ys the Tyme of Crystymas (Hill) SATB (with some div.) or SATB quartet, 3′
O Rex gentium (O Antiphon) SATB, 5′
Out of the Depths (Psalm 130) SATB, 6’30”
Psalm 46 Baritone soloist, SATB, orchestra or piano, 17′
Rejoice in the Lamb (Smart) SATB, 5′
Trinklieder für Männerchor (Various) TTBB, 3′
Two Laudate Psalms (Psalms 113, 150) Mezzo-soprano or high voice, SSAA, piano, 10′
Vespers (Various) SATB, Renaissance band, or various transcriptions, 66′
The Waking Sun (Seneca) SATB, Baroque chamber orchestra, 38′
Where Flames a Word (Celan) SATB, 13′
You Are Most Welcome (Dinsmore) SATB, 4′
Chamber
Adieu, Adieu 2018, octet: fl, cl, Eng hn, bn, va, db, vib, pno, 10′
Air and Jig 2007, English horn, viola, 7′
American Spirituals, Book One 2006, violin, piano, 11′
American Spirituals, Book Two 2008, cello, piano, 11′
Annunciation and Magnificat 2016, opt. narrator, brass quintet, 22′
The Better Angels of Our Nature 2010, soprano saxophone, piano, 4′
The Bremen Town Musicians 2008, narrator, violin, cello, 8′
Chant 2006, trombone, bassoon, piano 7′
Fanfare 1991, 1993, 2006, 4 trumpets, 4 horns, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, tam-tam; 2′
Fanfare on Ein feste Burg 2017, 7 Renaissance instruments (2 soprano shawms, alto shawm, 2 sackbuts, quartbass dulcian, large tabor, 1’30”
Fanfare on Ein feste Burg 2017, brass quintet, opt. large drum, 1’30”
Fanfare for Three Voices 2017, horn, trombone, tuba, 2′
Four French Carols 1988, 12′
The Nobility of Women 2011, Baroque flute, oboe, violin, viola da gamba, Baroque cello, harpsichord, 20′
Plain Truths (Various) 2011/2013; baritone, piano or string quartet, opt. chorus; 20′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, brass sextet with 2 horns, 6′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, brass sextet with 2 trombones, 6′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, mixed sextet: 2 trumpets, horn, bassoon, trombone, tuba, 6′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, mixed sextet: 2 soprano shawms, 2 tenor sackbuts, bass dulcian, quartbass dulcian, 6′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, brass quintet (high, in C), 6′
Red-tail and Hummingbird 2013, brass quintet (low, in Bb), 6′
A Song of Sonia Sanchez 1998, medium voice, violin, piano, 3 latin percussion, double or electric bass, 7′
This Broad Land 2010, bassoon, piano, 5′
This Broad Land 2010, soprano saxophone, piano, 5′
Two Pieces for Saxophone and Piano 2010, (This Broad Land and The Better Angels of Our Nature), 10′
The Three Graces 2008, oboe, horn, cello, double bass, piano, 11′
Thrice Blest 2010 violin, viola, cello, 5′
Vocal
Alas, and Did my Savior Bleed 1981; high voice, organ; 4′
Five Scottish Songs 1984; high voice, piano; 15′ 1. Two Girls Singing (Iain Crichton Smith) 2. Anemones (Marion Angus) 3. The Lodging (George Mackay Brown) 4. Wedding (George Mackay Brown) 5. On a Cat, Ageing (Sir Alexander Gray)
Holy Mountain 1982; high voice, organ; 4′
In This Blue Room 2015; mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano; 45′
Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts 1982; high voice, organ; 4′
Magnificat 2003; soprano, soprano recorder, percussion. 6′
Mark the Music (Shakespeare) 2014; soprano, tenor, baritone, piano; 4′
Morire (Bartoli) 2005; medium voice, piano; 4′
Plain Truths (Various) 2011/2013; baritone, piano or string quartet, opt. chorus; 20′
Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins 1989/2000; high voice, piano; high voice, orchestra; 11′
Poems of Stephen Berg 2000; soprano, clarinet, piano; 9′
Psalm 46 2004, baritone, SATB, orchestra, 14′
Stationen auf dem Wege zur Freiheit (Bonhoeffer) 1998; soprano, tenor saxophone, piano; 15′
There Is No Great and No Small (Emerson) 2016; mezzo-soprano, piano; 3′
Thine for Ever 1982; soprano, organ; 4′
Three Italian Songs 2005; voice, piano; 10′
Three Italian Songs 2005; medium voice, violin, cello, clarinet, bass clarinet; 10′
Three Songs, No. 1 (Shelley) 1978/2000; high voice, piano; 12′
Three Songs, No. 2 (Birrel) 1979; tenor, piano; 9′
Three Songs, No. 3 (Various) 1979; high voice, piano; 8′
Three Songs, No. 4 (Smith) 1980/99; high voice, piano; 8′
Three Songs, No. 5 (Hopkins) 1989; high voice, piano; 14′
Two Tunes by Gerard Manley Hopkins (harmonized K.S.) 1989; high voice, piano; 4′ 1. Who is Silvia? (William Shakespeare, 1st version) 2. Who is Silvia? (William Shakespeare, 2nd version)
who are you, little i (Cummings) 1981; high voice, piano; 3′
Sacred Choral
Agnus Dei SATB, orchestra, 15′
Alleluia SATB, 6′
Anthems
Behold the Best, the Greatest Gift SATB, org
Come, Gather All SATB, org, opt. brass quartet
Come, Ye Sinners (Beach Spring) SATB, org
For His Mercy Endures Forever (Psalm 136) SATB
Give Ear, O Heavens (Audite caeli) SATB, org
Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn (from Vespers) SATB
Holy Mountain SATB, organ
Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts SATB, org
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Emmanuel) SATB, org, opt. brass quintet
O Rex gentium (O Antiphon) SATB
O Thou, Who Camest from Above SATB
Out of the Depths (Psalm 130) SATB
Psalm 113 (from Vespers) SATB, kbd
Rejoice in the Lamb SATB
Shall the Blessed Saints Surround Us SATB, pno or org
The Word of God SATB, org
Hymns
Creation Sings with Grateful Praise (Tavella)
A Mighty Fortress (arr. for orch)
O Heavenly Minstrel (Tavella)
O Helper Spirit, You Are Here (Tavella)
Powers of Heaven (Tavella)
Shall the Blessed Saints Surround Us (Smith)
To You, O Father, Give We Solemn Praise (Tavella)
The Word of God (Tavella)
Hymn reharmonizations for organ
Aurelia The Church’s One Foundation
Azmon Oh, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Cwm Rhondda Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Duke Street Jesus Shall Reign
Easter Hymn Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Lancashire Lead on, O King Eternal
Lasst uns Erfreuen All Creatures of Our God and King
Lobe den Herren Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
National Hymn God of Our Fathers
Praise, My Soul Praise, My Soul
St. Denio Immortal, Invisible
Trinity (Italian Hymn) Come Thou, Almighty King
Orchestral
Agnus Dei 2015, SATB, orch, 15′
Alabanza (Sanchez) 2003, vocalist, 7-piece Latin band, opt. orch, 6′
The Bremen Town Musicians (Grimm) 2016, narrator, small orch, 8′
Exsultet 2007, horn, string orch, 18′
Four French Carols 2002, 12′
Gold and Silver 2014, 7′
Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins 2000, tenor, orch, 11′
Psalm 46 2004, baritone, SATB, orch, 14′
The Red Book of Montserrat 2013, string orch, 20′
A Song of Sonia Sanchez 2000, medium voice, violin, piano, 3 latin perc, double bass-2.2.2.2-4.3.3.1- timp.2perc-str, 7′
Song of the Angels 2014, 8′
Susquehanna 2017, 8′
Symphony: Lumen ad revelationem 2002, 22′
Three Dances, 1995, 12′
Three Dances, 1998/2012, string orch, 12′
The Three Graces 2001, oboe, horn, cello, str, 11′
Variations on a Theme of Schubert 1999, piano, orch, 17′
Vespers excerpts, 2017 SATB, caccias, hns, org, strings, 15′
The Voice of One Who Spoke 2003, 20′
Solo Instrument
Diabelli Variation 2010, piano
Reflection 2017, organ
Softly and Tenderly 2012, piano
Testimony 2012, piano
Two Meditations on Freu dich sehr 2013, organ
Variations on a Theme of Schubert 1999, piano
Premieres, commissions, new CDs, Cincinnati, Texas, England, Estonia, the 1st opera, more…
Selected works, by category
Look & Listen
Performances & Events
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