Kirke Mechem

This American composer has garnered fame in the contemporary choral, instrumental, and opera worlds. Having constructed a lot more than 150 functions in various styles, Mechem is particularly known for his choral functions, also receiving significant interest for his opera Tartuffe (1977 – 1980). His musical design, of no particular compositional college, is seen as a lyricism, tonal clearness, and laughter. Mechem researched at Stanford College or university until 1951 under Salgo, Ratner, and Schmidt. He received his M.A. in 1953 from Harvard under Piston, Merritt, and R. Thompson. For 3 years pursuing, he offered as movie director of music at Menlo University and in addition as instructor and conductor at Stanford. After a dynamic period in Vienna, Mechem came back to be composer-in-residence at Lone Hill University (until 1972) and instructor and conductor at SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA State University (until 1966). His extremely acclaimed initial opera Tartuffe was premiered on, may 27, 1980, by SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Opera’s American Opera Task. A comedy using a libretto with the composer after Molière’s play, Tartuffe uses traditional operatic forms, includes a lighthearted nature, displays dexterous orchestral composing and text placing, and sticks out for its highly delineated characterization, melodic invention, and wit. In its initial 10 years, it became perhaps one of the most often performed full-length American operas. Despite his skill for writing in every genres, nevertheless, Mechem is mainly a choral composer.