Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

August 16, 1925 in Wichita, KS

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

Kirke Mechem is an American composer of classical music, born on September 16, 1925, in Wichita, Kansas. He grew up in Topeka, Kansas, where he began his musical education at an early age. His mother was a pianist, and his father was a lawyer who played the violin. Mechem started playing the piano when he was five years old and began composing music when he was in high school. Mechem attended Stanford University, where he studied composition with Darius Milhaud. He also studied conducting with Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood. After graduating from Stanford, Mechem served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He then went on to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he continued his composition studies with Milhaud. Mechem's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Milhaud and Stravinsky. His first major work was the opera Tartuffe, which was based on the play by Molière. The opera premiered in 1959 at the San Francisco Opera and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. Mechem went on to write several more operas, including The Rivals, John Brown, and The Newport Rivals. In addition to his operas, Mechem has written numerous choral works, including his Seven Joys of Christmas, which has become a holiday favorite. He has also written several orchestral works, including his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered by the San Francisco Symphony in 1965. Mechem's music is known for its accessibility and lyricism. He has been praised for his ability to write music that is both sophisticated and approachable. His works often incorporate elements of jazz and popular music, as well as traditional classical forms. Mechem has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 2009, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. He has also been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Despite his many accomplishments, Mechem remains humble about his success. He once said, "I'm just a guy who writes music. I'm not a genius or anything like that. I just try to write music that people will enjoy." Kirke Mechem's contributions to classical music have been significant. His operas and choral works have become staples of the repertoire, and his influence can be heard in the works of many contemporary composers. Mechem's dedication to creating music that is both accessible and sophisticated has made him one of the most beloved composers of his generation.

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