Podcast | Kile Smith • composer

Fleisher Discoveries: I’m Signing off … with my Symphony

by Kile Smith | Jun 3, 2024 | Classical music, Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Orchestral Music, Podcast

Kile Smith (b. 1956). Symphony: Lumen ad revelationem (2002) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify For my final Fleisher Discoveries podcast, my Symphony. I’ve gotten so busy with composing that, as much as I love the podcast, I had to clear the decks. The Symphony...

Fleisher Discoveries: It Isn’t Academic with Brahms

by Kile Smith | May 13, 2024 | Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Podcast

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897). Academic Festival Overture (1880) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify Brahms had already turned down one honorary doctorate, but when another one was proffered, a good friend talked him into accepting—but he had to write a concert piece...

Fleisher Discoveries: Stravinsky, Symphony of Psalms

by Kile Smith | Apr 4, 2024 | Classical music, Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Podcast

Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971). Symphony of Psalms (1930) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify As success followed success, especially in the three ballets he wrote for the impresario Sergei Diaghilev, Stravinsky lived the life of a world-famous composer and pianist....

Fleisher Discoveries: The Pre-eminence of Marianne Martines

by Kile Smith | Mar 6, 2024 | Classical music, Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Podcast

Marianne Martines (1744–1812). Psalm 51 (1768) Martines. Symphony in C (1770) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify Metastasio, the leading playwright of the age, introduced her to everyone. She performed for the empress. She knew Mozart. And Haydn, who gave her...

Fleisher Discoveries: Ned Rorem’s 100th

by Kile Smith | Oct 2, 2023 | Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Podcast

Ned Rorem (1923–2022). Third Symphony (1958) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify His accomplishment in art song has had the unfortunate effect of overshadowing his orchestral music, especially so his symphonies. Hi everybody, I’m Kile Smith, and welcome to Fleisher...

Fleisher Discoveries: Ulysses Kay, As He Sees Them

by Kile Smith | Sep 1, 2023 | Fleisher Collection, Fleisher Discoveries, Podcast

Ulysses Kay (1917–1995). Concerto for Orchestra (1948) Kay. Six Dances for String Orchestra (1954) Listen on SoundCloud Listen on Spotify When Kay’s mother asked her uncle, famed jazz cornetist Joe “King” Oliver, if young Ulysses should take trumpet...

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Recent & Upcoming Highlights

Complete Calendar here.

3 Nov. The Bremen Town Musicians. Premiere Performances, Musical Fairytales, Hong Kong, Andrea Fessler, two performances

16 Nov. The Consolation of Apollo. Houston Chamber Chorale, Robert Simpson, St. Philip Presbyterian, Houston

7 Dec. The Consolation of Apollo. New version, with string orchestra. Plus PREMIERE of new Christmas carol. Bethlehem Bach Choir, Christopher Jackson

8 Dec. The Consolation of Apollo. New version, with string orchestra. Plus PREMIERE of new Christmas carol. Bethlehem Bach Choir, Christopher Jackson

15 Dec. Chorale Fantasias from Vespers. Ravenswood Community Orchestra, Eli Chen, Chicago

2025

1 Feb. Wie schön leuchtet from Vespers. American Kantorei, Maurice Boyer, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

2 Feb. Wie schön leuchtet from Vespers. American Kantorei, Maurice Boyer, St. Paul’s Lutheran, Des Peres, MO

28 Feb. PREMIERE. Jesus Stood on the Shore. Choir and organ, 15′. Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Michael Plagerman, Seattle

9 Mar. PREMIERE. Jubilate Deo for chorus and orchestra. Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Sheldon Bair, Bel Air, MD

14 Mar. PREMIERE. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia

15 Mar. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. First and Central Presbyterian, Wilmington, DE

16 Mar. Endless Morn of Light. Sylvan Viol Consort, Variant 6. Levering Mill Tribute House, Bala Cynwyd, PA

26 Apr. PREMIERE. Even the Grass Must Sing. The Choristers with orchestra, Lansdale, PA, David Spitko

PREMIERE 14 Jun. Let All the Strains of Joy (Tagore). The Crossing, Donald Nally. Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia

24 Jul. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM

27 Jul. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM

1 Aug. Northland. Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM

Recent CDs

The Bremen Town Musicians. English Symphony Orchestra, Gemma Whelan, narrator, Kenneth Woods, conductor. Fiddles, Forests, and Fowl Fables.

The Arc in the Sky. The Crossing. 2020 Grammy nomination, Best Choral Performance

Canticle and Alleluia. Vocal Arts Ensemble. 2020 Grammy, Classical Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh

In This Blue Room, other songs. Lyric Fest

A Child’s Afternoon. Fantasmagoria. Anna K. Meyer, flute, & Erik Meyer, organ

The Nobility of Women. Mélomanie

The Stars Shine, from The Consolation of Apollo. The Same Stream

Vespers. Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, and The Crossing

Where Flames a Word. The Crossing

Where Flames a Word. Voces Tallinn. 2020 Estonian Recording of the Year

Where Flames a Word. Khorikos

Where Flames a Word. Chicago Chamber Choir

Selected publications

The Star-Spangled Banner. SATB, piano, opt. cello, 5’30”. Hal Leonard

Alleluia. SATB, 6′. Hal Leonard

The Consolation of Apollo. SATB, perc, 35′. MusicSpoke

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. SATB, bells, 3′. Hal Leonard

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. SATB, org, 3′. Concordia.