Role

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Composer

Period

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Modern

Genre

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Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

Kile Smith is a contemporary American composer, born on July 18, 1956, in Mobile, Alabama. He grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Lebanon Valley College, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Theory and Composition. He later received a Master of Music degree in Composition from Temple University. Smith began his career as a church musician, serving as a choir director and organist for various churches in Pennsylvania. He also worked as a music critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer and as a radio host for WRTI-FM. In 1995, he became the music director of the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, a position he held for 15 years. Smith's compositions are primarily in the classical tradition, with influences from jazz, folk, and popular music. He has written works for orchestra, choir, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. His music has been performed by numerous ensembles, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Daedalus Quartet. One of Smith's most notable works is his oratorio, "The Consolation of Apollo," which was commissioned by The Crossing choir and premiered in 2014. The piece tells the story of the Apollo 8 mission, which sent astronauts to orbit the moon for the first time in 1968. The work combines choral music with recordings of the astronauts' voices and images of the moon projected onto a screen. "The Consolation of Apollo" has been performed by several choirs across the United States and was named a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Another significant work by Smith is his "Vespers," a setting of the traditional Catholic evening prayer. The piece was commissioned by Piffaro, The Renaissance Band, and premiered in 2008. "Vespers" combines Renaissance and contemporary music, with sections for choir, soloists, and instrumental ensembles. The work has been performed by several choirs and ensembles, including the Philadelphia Orchestra. Smith has also written several works for solo instruments, including "Lament," a piece for solo cello, and "The Bremen Town Musicians," a suite for solo piano based on the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale. His chamber music includes "Thy Word Is a Lantern," a piece for flute, clarinet, and piano, and "The Nobility of Women," a suite for brass quintet. In addition to his work as a composer, Smith is also a writer and educator. He has written articles and reviews for various music publications, including Fanfare and The American Organist. He has taught at several universities, including Temple University and West Chester University. Smith has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the 2016 Virgil Thomson Award for Vocal Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the 2018 Composer of the Year award from the Classical Recording Foundation. He currently resides in Philadelphia with his wife and two children.

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