Kile Smith
Composer“There is no other music like this.”—Craig Hella Johnson
News
Ave Maris Stella
Kile’s new setting of this renowned 8th-century hymn, commissioned by Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, premieres October 2021 with the brilliant new vocal sextet Variant 6. (2020 premiere postponed by pandemic.)
The Bremen Town Musicians, for orchestra
CD: English Symphony Orchestra, narrator Gemma Whelan, conductor Kenneth Woods. 2022 concerts: Salt Lake City Symphony, Philadelphia Sinfonia. Original violin, cello, narrator version on the Philadelphia Orchestra chamber series.
New Work for Santa Fe Desert Chorale
The acclaimed professional chorus Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann, Artistic Director, selects Kile as their 2023 commissioned composer. Details soon…
New Work for Solo Piano
This 30th Anniversary commission from the Community Music Schoo in Trappe PA is for the formidable pianist Milena Urban, premiering 23 Apr 2022.
New Work for Chor Leoni
A major new work for the internationally known Chor Leoni Men’s Choir of Vancouver, Canada, along with the new 9-voice ensemble of all-star soloists, the Leonids, will be led by Erick Lichte in the Spring of 2024.
The Dawn’s Early Light
Conspirare, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, cellist Douglas Harvey, conducted by Craig Hella Johnson. On The Singing Guitar CD, released September 2020.
The Star-Spangled Banner
Hal Leonard octavo of this new, original, and moving setting of the words of the national anthem, for SATB, piano, and opt. cello, 5’30”. The fifth movement of The Dawn’s Early Light.
There’s a Land Beyond the River
Clarinet and piano premiere as an encore by Ricardo Morales, 2021. Available for violin/piano, viola/piano, mandolin/strings, flute/organ, and solo violin settings.
The Arc in the Sky
2020 GRAMMY Nomination, Best Choral Performance, The Crossing, Donald Nally. “Maybe his best piece yet”—Philadelphia Inquirer.
Canticle
2020 GRAMMY, Classical Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh. 65′ setting of the Spiritual Canticle of St. John of the Cross. SATB, three cellos, percussion.
The Consolation of Apollo
SATB, bass drum, crotales, 35′. Boethius, and the Apollo 8 astronauts seeing the Earth rising over the moon for the first time. More than 50 performances.
Alleluia
SATB, 6′. Published by Hal Leonard. Recorded by the Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati, Craig Hella Johnson. Premiered by Philadelphia’s Central High School Choir.
Featured Video
April Showers. Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, artistic director: soprano Stefanie Moore, mezzo-soprano Laura Mercado-Wright, tenor Dann Coakwell, baritone Simon Barrad, Austin Haller, piano, Thomas Burritt, drums, and Utah Hamrick, bass. Premiered 11 June 2021. Video starts at 27:49.
About
photo credit: A. J. Waltz
The music of Grammy-nominated composer Kile Smith is hailed internationally by critics, performers, and audiences for its strong voice, sheer beauty, and “profoundly direct emotional appeal.” Gramophone called the “sparkling beauty” of Vespers “spectacular.” The Philadelphia Inquirer called it “ecstatically beautiful,” American Record Guide, “a major new work,” Audiophile Audition, “easily one of the best releases of the year of any type… a crime to pass up” … more here…
The English Symphony Orchestra releases The Bremen Town Musicians with Gemma Whelan, narrator. Ricardo Morales premieres There’s a Land Beyond the River, for clarinet and piano. The Arc in the Sky with The Crossing received a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Choral Performance, and the Canticle / Alleluia CD by Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble helped win the 2020 Classical Producer of the Year Grammy for Blanton Alspaugh. Hal Leonard publishes The Star-Spangled Banner, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, and Alleluia. A Birch in Winter, which includes Kile’s Where Flames a Word, won the 2020 Estonian Recording of the Year for Voces Musicales. The Dawn’s Early Light, Ave Maris Stella, The Book of Job, The Arc in the Sky, Where Flames a Word, The Consolation of Apollo, Vespers, Conspirare, the L.A. Guitar Quartet, Piffaro, Variant 6, iSing Girlchoir, Choral Arts Society of Washington … more here…
TEN NEW CDs • With The Arc in the Sky, The Crossing and Donald Nally were nominated for the 2020 Grammy Best Choral Performance. Canticle and Alleluia with the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati helped win the 2020 Classical Producer of the Year Grammy for Blanton Alspaugh. The Dawn’s Early Light was released 2020 by Conspirare with the L.A. Guitar Quartet and cellist Douglas Harvey. Where Flames a Word, In This Blue Room, Canticle, The Arc in the Sky … more here…
RECENT PERFORMANCES • 2021 saw The Bremen Town Musicians on the Philadelphia Orchestra Our City, Your Orchestra series and at Mt. Gretna with violinist Juliette Kang, cellist Priscilla Lee, and narrator Charlotte Blake Alston. The English Symphony Orchestra released a video of the orchestral version of Bremen in 2021 with Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) as narrator. The Arc in the Sky moved from The Crossing’s Philadelphia premiere and CD to London with the Cantus Ensemble, New York with the Ghostlight Chorus, Cincinnati with the Vocal Arts Ensemble, and the Northwestern University Chorale. The Consolation of Apollo, Where Flames a Word, Spirituals for Piano Trio … more here…
RECENT PUBLICATIONS • Of the Father’s Love Begotten for choir, organ, and brass premiered at Westminster Choir College and is published by GIA. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day and Alleluia published by Hal Leonard. MusicSpoke … more here…
SELECTED COMMISSIONS • American Guild of Organists, Philadelphia Chapter • Association of Anglican Musicians • Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church • Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston • Choral Arts Society, Philadelphia • Choral Arts Society, Washington, DC • Chor Leoni • Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia • Community Music School, Trappe PA • Conspirare • The Crossing • Jane Flanders Estate • Gaudete Brass • Greenville University • Helena Symphony • iSing Girlchoir • Jupiter Symphony • Khorikos • Knox Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati • Latin Fiesta • Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra • Louisiana State University • Lyric Fest • Mélomanie • Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia • Network for New Music • Newburyport Chamber Music Festival • Orchestra 2001 • Pennsylvania Girlchoir • Piffaro, The Renaissance Band • Presbyterian Church of Barrington, Ill. • Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill , Philadelphia • Relâche • Santa Fe Desert Chorale • Singing City • St. Joseph’s University • Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra • Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra • University of New Mexico • Ursinus College • Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati • Westminster Choir College
Calendar
1 Jan. Fleisher Discoveries: The Ultramodern Protest of John J. Becker
9 Jan. Blue Lobster. Premiere, Cincinnati SongSlam. Ben Flanders, Nell Flanders
15 Jan. The Arc in the Sky, selections. Friday Choral Connection with Debra Lew Harder, 1:30
19 Jan. Spirituals for Piano Trio. St. Paul’s Episcopal Concert Series, Kansas City, MO
20 Jan. The Dawn’s Early Light. Classical Connections, WPRB Princeton, Marvin Rosen
25 Jan. Strathmore Children’s Chorus video conference, Michael Wu
Feb–Mar. Kile Smith Photography Exhibit, The Broad Street Grind, Souderton, Pa.
1 Feb. Fleisher Discoveries: Alfredo Casella, Seeing the New in the Old
3 Feb. The Bremen Town Musicians. Caroline Eva Chin, Bowling Green State University, 8
6 Feb. Chorale Fantasias from Vespers. Premiere, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, Allan R. Scott
6 Feb. Host, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra livestream
12 Feb. Livestream discussion with Variant 6, Piffaro about Ave Maris Stella
13 Feb. A Child’s Afternoon. Classical New Releases, Mark Pinto, WRTI-FM, Philadelphia
22 Feb. The Bremen Town Musicians. Juliette Kang, vn, Priscilla Lee, vc, Charlotte Blake Alston, narr. Philadelphia Orchestra Our City, Your Orchestra video premiere
23 Feb. A Child’s Afternoon. Anna Meyer, fl, Erik Meyer, org, Abington Presbyterian Church livestream, noon
24 Feb. A Child’s Afternoon. Anna Meyer, fl, Erik Meyer, org, WQLN Erie, PA
Feb–Mar. Kile Smith Photography Exhibit, The Broad Street Grind, Souderton, Pa.
1 Mar. Fleisher Discoveries: Fleisher Brings Peru to Washington
14 Mar. Completed new version of “April Showers” (final song of April Showers), adding double bass and revising piano accordingly
15 Mar. Completed There’s a Land Beyond the River, solo violin
28 Mar. Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts. Kiley Hazelton, soprano, Mark Bilyeu, organ, Calvin Presbyterian Church, Long Lake, MN
1 Apr. Fleisher Discoveries: A Rough Beginning for The Tender Land of Copland
2 Apr. Completed There’s a Land Beyond the River, clarinet and piano
14 Apr. Everyone Sang, WPRB-FM, Classical Discoveries, Marvin Rosen
14 Apr. There’s a Land Beyond the River, Joseph Kauffman, violin, George Washington Memorial Park, Plymouth Meeting, PA
15 Apr. Online discussion with English Symphony Youth Orchestra illustrators about The Bremen Town Musicians video
16 Apr. The Bremen Town Musicians video released, English Symphony Orchestra, narrator Gemma Whelan, conductor Kenneth Woods
19 Apr. Intrada for six horns finished, for the Curtis Institute of Music horn studio
23 Apr. Online Q&A, Working with Conductors, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley Choirs, with Sean Taylor, Craig Hella Johnson discussing Canticle, The Dawn’s Early Light, others
28 Apr. Online Q&A, Curtis Institute of Music horn studio, with Jeffrey Lang
1 May Fleisher Discoveries: Aurelio de la Vega: Out of Cuba
4 May. Everyone Sang. Video release. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Choirs, Robert Gehrenbeck
8 May. There’s a Land Beyond the River. Clarinet, piano premiere, Ricardo Morales encore, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra
8 May. Host, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra livestream
16 May. Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem (hymn). Holy Trinity Lutheran, Abington PA
23 May. O Thou Who Camest from Above. St. Mary’s Episcopal, Richmond, Ryan Tibbetts
26 May. Online chat with Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare’s Hella Circle about April Showers
30 May. Completed There’s a Land Beyond the River, flute and organ
1 Jun. Fleisher Discoveries: Gottfried von Einem, Among the Nations
2 Jun. Octavo published: The Star-Spangled Banner. SATB, piano, opt. cello, 5’30”. Hal Leonard
6 Jun. Alleluia. St. Martin’s Lutheran, Austin TX
9 Jun. Interview with Barry Brake, Texas Public Radio, and baritone Simon Barrad about April Showers premiere. Includes excerpt from The Dawn’s Early Light, 1:00 Central
11 Jun. April Showers. Premiere. Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, artistic director: soprano Stefanie Moore, mezzo-soprano Laura Mercado-Wright, tenor Dann Coakwell, baritone Simon Barrad, Austin Haller, piano, Thomas Burritt, drums, Utah Hamrick, bass
13 Jun. April Showers. Conspirare
1 Jul. Completed Where the Mind Is Without Fear (Tagore) for University of New Mexico
1 Jul. Fleisher Discoveries: Virgil Thomson’s Music of America, via Paris
3 Jul. The Bremen Town Musicians. Juliette Kang, vn, Priscilla Lee, vc, Charlotte Blake Alston, narr. Mount Gretna Playhouse, PA
23 Jul. Live interview with Gaylord Fischer, KKUP-FM San Jose, about The Dawn’s Early Light and The Singing Guitar CD
1 Aug. Fleisher Discoveries: Alexandra Pierce, Creator of a World
6 Aug. A Child’s Afternoon. Anna Meyer, fl, Erik Meyer, org, St. Boniface, Sarasota, FL
9 Aug. A Child’s Afternoon. Anna Meyer, fl, Erik Meyer, org, All Saints Episcopal, Winter Park, FL
2 Oct. “There are not many songs” from The Arc in the Sky. Piedmont Singers, VA, Helena von Rueden
3 Oct. “There are not many songs” from The Arc in the Sky. Piedmont Singers, VA, Helena von Rueden
8 Oct. Ave Maris Stella. Premiere. Piffaro, Variant 6. Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
9 Oct. Ave Maris Stella. Premieres. Piffaro, Variant 6. Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
10 Oct. Ave Maris Stella. Premieres. Piffaro, Variant 6. Immanuel Church Highlands, Wilmington, DE
17 Oct. “There are not many songs” from The Arc in the Sky. Piedmont Singers, VA, Helena von Rueden
14 Nov. Holy Mountain. Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, CA, Stan DeWitt
18 Dec. Rise up, Shepherd, and Follow and I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Wisconsin Chamber Choir, Robert Gehrenbeck, Luther Memorial Church, Madison, WI
20 Dec. Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow, with orchestra. Premiere. Choral Arts Society of Washington, Scott Tucker. Lincoln Center, Washington, DC
24 Dec. Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow, with orchestra. Choral Arts Society of Washington, Scott Tucker. Lincoln Center, Washington, DC
8 Jan 2022. The Bremen Town Musicians. Salt Lake Symphony, Robert Baldwin
23 Jan. The Bremen Town Musicians. Philadelphia Sinfonia, Gary White. Kile Smith narrating
24 Jan. The Bremen Town Musicians. Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra (TX), Marcelo Bussiki
23 Apr. New work for solo piano. Milena Urban, Community Music School 30th Anniversary, Trappe, PA
7 May. Jubilate Deo, for string orchestra. Temple University Prep Annual Concert, Aaron Picht, Temple Performing Arts Center
Oct. Concerts, master classes, Latvia
9–12 Nov. Recording The Book of Job. The Crossing
13 Nov. The Book of Job. The Crossing, Donald Nally. Concert premiere
Spring. The Book of Job. Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson. Staged premiere
April. New Work. Chor Leoni, Erick Lichte
