Korff School alum to premiere his commission at Organ Historical Society Convention
calendar icon16 Jun 2016
Lincoln, Neb.--Glenn Korff School of Music Alumnus and Lecturer of Composition Kurt Knecht (D.M.A. 2009) will have his major new commission, titled “Toccata, Adagio, Fugue,” premiered at the Organ Historical Society (OHS) National Convention at Kimmel Hall in Philadelphia on June 27. The commission celebrates the 60th anniversary of the OHS.
“The Organ Historical Society has been around for exactly 60 years, and the concert where this work will be premiered is actually being played on the very day of the 60th anniversary, so I had the idea of getting something written for us that would be organ and percussion and something that had the possibility for some really ecstatic music.” said James Weaver, the CEO of OHS.
The organization also recently announced a move to new headquarters, just outside of Philadelphia.
“It’s a particularly good year for us with a lot going on, so we decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary in a big way,” Weaver said.
Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Associate Dean Christopher Marks, who currently serves as the chair of the OHS Board of Directors, commissioned Knecht to write a piece for his recital at the same convention two years ago.
“The president of the organization heard that piece last time, and got in touch with me through Associate Dean Marks and asked if I would write something for this year’s convention,” he said. “I’m super excited, too, because as part of that whole process, Chris and Dave Hall are going to do the premiere.”
Marks said he appreciates working with a composer who is an organist and knows the organ.
“It’s always nice to have a composer who understands the instrument,” he said. “But he doesn’t think about the instrument too conventionally either, so he thinks outside the box. Kurt just has a unique compositional voice, so he’s writing music for organ and other instruments, too, that doesn’t sound like music that other people are writing, which is really nice. And yet it’s also very accessible to audiences.”
The piece has three movements. The first features organ and timpani. The second movement features organ and marimba. And the third movement features organ and various percussion instruments.
“Dave Hall suggested the specific percussion we’re using for the last one,” he said. “I like a lot of interaction so when I’m writing, I’ll write drafts and send them to people. Chris is the best to work with because he is super honest. He’ll say I don’t think this is working, so I’ll go back and re-draft all of that.”
Marks said, “Kurt is really happy to work with the performer in the compositional process, so it’s a real kind of dialogue as the piece is developing, which is not always the case with other composers. He has been really receptive to ideas and changes, I think, without compromising his voice as a composer.”
Knecht will attend the premiere in Philadelphia.
“Kimmel Hall has one of the nicest organs in the country,” he said. “It’s a big, national venue that’s well known in arts circles, so I figure I have to be there for this one. And I’m not playing, so it’s good not to have that pressure.”