Kile Smith
Composer“His voice is unlike any other”
—Craig Hella Johnson
News
Rapidly gaining national and international acclaim, the music of Kile Smith is hailed by critics, performers, and audiences for its emotional power, direct appeal, strong voice, and sheer beauty.
Kile receives the prestigious Independence Foundation 2018 Fellowship in the Arts to begin writing his first opera, The Book of Job, collaborating with two award-winning artists, conductor Donald Nally and director, librettist, and dramaturg Edward Sobel.
Donald Nally and The Crossing premiere and record Kile’s newest concert-length work The Arc in the Sky in June, a setting of texts by the minimalist, mystical writer Robert Lax, friend and influencer of Thomas Merton.
Craig Hella Johnson conducts Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble in Kile’s concert-length Canticle in January, along with a new Alleluia, recording these with Grammy-winning producer Blanton Alspaugh for a 2018 release. George Case conducts Boston Cecilia in the New England premieres of Canticle and Alleluia in March.
For the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8, multiple performances of The Consolation of Apollo take place throughout 2018: the Verdigris Ensemble of Dallas, the Ars Nova Singers in Colorado, Red Shift in Vancouver and Baton Rouge, Robert Hollingworth leading The 24 in the UK premiere, and an excerpt by the Choral Arts Society in Washington, DC.
Lyric Fest releases an all–Kile Smith song CD in 2018, including his 45-minute cycle for mezzo and baritone, In This Blue Room.
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.
The pioneering new-music group Relâche celebrates its 40th anniversary in June with Kile’s Adieu, Adieu, 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. The New York choral group Khorikos premieres my son my son in November. The Arcadian Trio commissions Kile for a new piano trio for their 2018/19 season; a flute/organ commission, A Child’s Afternoon, for Anna and Erik Meyer, and other choral and chamber commissions are in the works. (Photo credit: A. J. Waltz)
Performances, events
Awarded the Independence Foundation 2018 Fellowship for his first opera, The Book of Job
12 Jan. Canticle. Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati
13–14 Jan. Recording Canticle. Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati
18 Jan. Lecture on the choral music of Kile Smith. Joseph Foster Harkins, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
31 Jan. Vespers selections, transcribed for Baroque orchestra. Choral Arts Philadelphia. St. Clement’s Church, Philadelphia
4 Feb. O Thou Who Camest from Above, St. Margaret Mary, Westwood, Mass.
4 Feb. Meditation on Freu dich sehr, Kurt Knecht, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Kansas City
7 Feb. New York Choral Society, interviewing composer Frank Ticheli and conductor David Hayes for the East Coast premiere of the Ticheli Symphony No. 3 “The Shore,” New York Public Library
25 Feb. Red-tail and Hummingbird and Sonata a5: Steht auf, ihr lieben Kinderlein from Vespers, for brass quintet. Hot Air Music Festival, San Francisco
25 Feb. Holy Mountain. Holy Trinity Lutheran, Abington, PA
27 Feb. Reflection. Ethel Geist, AGO Tuesday Noon Organ Recital, Abington Presbyterian Church, Pa.
The Estonian choir Voces Musicales records Where Flames a Word for release in 2018.
2 Mar. Fanfare on Ein feste Burg. WWFM Piffaro concert broadcast
2 Mar. The Consolation of Apollo. Verdigris Ensemble, St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Plano, TX
4 Mar. Come, Ye Sinners. St. John’s Anglican, Southampton, Pa.
4 Mar. Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit. Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor. United Singers of Philadelphia Evening of Song, Canstatter Volksfest-Verein, Philadelphia
4 Mar. The Consolation of Apollo. Royal Lane Baptist Church, Dallas
11 Mar. Canticle. Boston Cecilia
1 Apr. Behold, the Best, the Greatest Gift. Easter. Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia
8 Apr. Reflection. Edward Landin Organ Recital, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Pa.
April–May, 2 Easter–Trinity Sunday. Mass for Philadelphia. Holy Trinity Lutheran, Abington, Pa.
22 Apr. Rejoice in the Lamb. Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia
22 Apr. O Lord, Our Lord, Your Excellent Name. Hymn, Old First Reformed UCC, Philadelphia, Earth Day Service
27 Apr. “I am aware,” “Annie Lisle,” “Spirit of Freedom” from Plain Truths. Benjamin Flanders, Calvary Episcopal, Cincinnati
28 Apr. The Consolation of Apollo. Verdigris Ensemble, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Space Exhibit, Dallas
29 Apr. Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit. Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor Spring Concert. Vereinigung Erzgebirge, Warminster, Pa.
5 May. Where Flames a Word. Denver Pro Chorale, Taylor Martin, cond.
6 May. Alleluia. Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia
14 May. Reflection. David Furniss. Philadelphia AGO Tuesday Noon Organ Recital, St. John UCC, Lansdale, Pa.
20 May. O Thou Who Camest from Above. Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Sq, Philadelphia
20 May. O Helper Spirit. Holy Trinity Lutheran, Abington, Pa.
30 May. The Consolation of Apollo. The 24, University of York, Robert Hollingworth, cond. UK premiere
1 Jun. Where Flames a Word. Northwestern University Singers
3 Jun. Susquehanna. Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra
23 Jun. Adieu, Adieu. Relâche. Penn Museum, Widener Hall, 2:00
23–25 Jun. recording The Arc in the Sky. The Crossing, producer Adrian Peacock
27 Jun. Donald Nally lecture, “Choral Music of Kile Smith,” Westminster Choir College Conducting Institute
30 Jun. The Arc in the Sky. The Crossing
8 Jul. “When the stars begin to fall” from American Spirituals, Book Two. David Bennett, cello. Salem United Methodist, Wexford, Pa.
19 Aug. “When the stars begin to fall” from American Spirituals, Book Two. David Bennett, cello. Sixth Presbyterian, Pittsburgh
16 Sep. “Conversation in the Mountains” from Where Flames a Word. The Crossing, Philadelphia Fringe Festival
19 Sep. “Conversation in the Mountains” from Where Flames a Word. The Crossing, Park Avenue Armory, NYC
20 Sep. “Conversation in the Mountains” from Where Flames a Word. The Crossing, Park Avenue Armory, NYC
11–13 Oct. The Consolation of Apollo. Red Shift, Trey Davis, cond. College Music Society Conference, Vancouver
13 Oct. The Stars Shine from The Consolation of Apollo. Auckland Youth Choir
20 Oct. The Stars Shine from The Consolation of Apollo. Choral Arts Society of Washington, two performances
3 Nov. my son my son. Khorikos. Shrine Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, 154 Sullivan Street, New York City
Dec. The Consolation of Apollo. Red Shift, Trey Davis, cond. Baton Rouge
Dec 7. The Consolation of Apollo. Ars Nova Singers, Thomas Edward Morgan, cond. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Boulder
Dec 9. The Consolation of Apollo. Ars Nova Singers. St. Paul Community of Faith, Denver
Dec 13. The Consolation of Apollo. Ars Nova Singers. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Boulder
Dec 15. The Consolation of Apollo. Ars Nova Singers. First Congregational Church, Longmont
20 Jan 2019. The Consolation of Apollo. Charlotte Symphony Chamber Choir, Davidson, NC
20 Jan 2019. New commissioned work. Arcadian Trio. Abington Presbyterian Church, Abington, PA, 3:00
27 Jan 2019. New commissioned work. Arcadian Trio. First Presbyterian Church, Moorestown, NJ
12 Feb 2019. The Consolation of Apollo. Charlotte Symphony Chamber Choir
10 Apr 2019. New commissioned work. Arcadian Trio. Penn State Abington, 7:30
Browse works
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 Arc in the Sky (Lax) SATB, 65′
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′
my son my son (Lax) SATB, 5′
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′
Three Prosits for 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′
Orchestral
Agnus Dei 2015, SATB, 1.2.0.2–2.2.0.0–timp–org–str, 15′
Alabanza (Sanchez) 2003, vocalist–7-piece Latin band, opt. 2.2.2.2–4.3.3.1–timp.2perc–str, 6′
And Seeing the Multitudes 2015, solo cello–2+pic.2.2.2–4.3.3.1–timp.3perc(incl marimba)–pno.hp–str, 20′
The Bremen Town Musicians (Grimm) 2016, narrator, 1.1.1.1–1.1.1.0–1perc–str, 8′
Exsultet 2007, solo horn–str, 18′
Four French Carols 2002, 3(2+pic).3(2+ehn).2.2–4.3.3.1–timp.2perc–str, 12′
Four French Carols 2002, str, 12′
Gold and Silver 2014, 3*.2.2.3*(opt cbn)–4.2.3.1–timp.2perc (incl glock)–str, 7′
Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins 2000, high voice–2.2.2.2–2.2.0.0–str, 11′
Psalm 46 2004, baritone–2*.2.2.2–2.2.3.1–timp.1perc–SATB–str, 14′
The Red Book of Montserrat 2013, str, 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, 2.2.2.2–4.2.3.1–timp.tri–str, 8′
Susquehanna 2017, 3*.3*.3*.2–4.3.3.1–timp.3perc–str, 8′
Symphony: Lumen ad revelationem 2002, 2.2.2.2–2.2.0.0–1perc–str, 22′
Three Dances, 1995, 2/.2.2.2–2.2.0.0–1perc–str, 12′
Three Dances, 1998/2012, str, 12′
The Three Graces 2001, solo oboe, horn, cello–str, 11′
Variations on a Theme of Schubert 1999, solo piano–2.2.2.2–2.1.0.0–timp,1perc–str, 17′
Vespers excerpts, 2017, SATB–2 caccias–2 hns–org–str, 15′
The Voice of One Who Spoke 2003,3*.2.2.2*–4.2.3.1–timp.3perc–str, 20′
Sacred Choral
Agnus Dei SATB, orchestra, 15′
Alleluia SATB, 6′
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
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need SATB, org
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Emmanuel) SATB, org, opt. brass quintet
O Rex gentium (O Antiphon) SATB
O Sing unto the Lord a New Song (Psalm 98:1,2) SATB Fuguing tune
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
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn
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′
A Child’s Afternoon 2018, flute, organ, 9′
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′
Solo Instrument
A Child’s Afternoon 2018, flute, organ
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
Selected works
Look & Listen
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