Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1916

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Band

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Ellis Kohs was an American composer and pianist who was born on August 31, 1916, in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the son of a prominent physician and grew up in a family that valued education and the arts. Kohs showed an early interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of six. He later studied composition with Paul Hindemith at Yale University, where he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Kohs' early compositions were influenced by Hindemith's neoclassical style, but he soon developed his own unique voice. His music was characterized by its lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and harmonic complexity. Kohs was also interested in exploring the possibilities of electronic music and was one of the first American composers to use the Moog synthesizer. Kohs' career as a composer was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the U.S. Army. After the war, he returned to Yale to teach composition and theory. He also continued to compose and perform, and his works were performed by leading orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Juilliard String Quartet. One of Kohs' most famous works is his Piano Concerto, which was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1953. The concerto is a virtuosic showcase for the soloist, with a lively first movement, a lyrical second movement, and a rhythmic finale. The work has been praised for its inventive use of harmony and its integration of jazz and classical elements. Kohs also wrote a number of chamber works, including several string quartets. His String Quartet No. 2, which was premiered by the Juilliard String Quartet in 1960, is a complex and challenging work that explores a wide range of moods and textures. The quartet has been described as "a masterpiece of modern chamber music." In addition to his work as a composer, Kohs was also a respected musicologist and scholar. He wrote extensively on the music of Bach, Beethoven, and other composers, and his articles and essays were published in leading music journals. Kohs was also a dedicated teacher, and his students included the composer Ned Rorem and the pianist Peter Serkin. Kohs continued to compose and perform into his later years, despite suffering from Parkinson's disease. He died on December 22, 2000, at the age of 84. His legacy as a composer and musician continues to be celebrated by performers and audiences around the world.

More....