The Brothers Grimm tale of 4 animals who, seeking fortune in the far city of Bremen, fall among thieves, outwit them, and find good fortune as friends together, never arriving in Bremen. Libretto adapted by the composer. Original for violin, cello, narrator, 2008. Orchestrated 2016 for narrator and small orchestra, premiered by the English Symphony Orchestra, Kenneth Woods, conductor, and recorded by them 2021, with Gemma Whelan, narrator.

The Bremen Town Musicians, orchestra

Not difficult arrangement of original music set to an old Gospel hymn. The text on which this is based:

There’s a land beyond the river
That we call the sweet forever,
And that shore, we will reach it one day
If we travel onward faithfully.

One by one we will gain the portals,
There to dwell with the immortals.
Can you hear them calling to us,
As they ring the golden bells for you and me.

Can you hear? The bells are ringing!
Can you hear their majesty?
’Tis the Hallelujah Glory, ’Tis the Hallelujah Jubilee!
In that sweet forever
Just beyond the river,
We will sing, “Hallelujah, Glory,”
As they ring the golden bells for you and me.

There's a Land Beyond the River

Movement 4 from Ave Maris Stella (2021) for Piffaro, the Renaissance Band and Variant 6 (SSATTB), arranged for SSA and Harp, for the iSing Girlchoir, Jennah Delp, director. 4'30". From a Marian Hymn, c. 8th century. Monstra te esse matrem, sumat per te precem qui pro nobis natus tulit esse tuus. Translation: Show thyself to be a Mother: Through thee may he receive prayer Who, being born for us, Undertook to be thine own.

Monstra te esse matrem, from Ave Maris Stella

Intrada, for Six Horns. 2’45”. For the Curtis Institute of Music Horn Studio. Premiered 1 Dec 2021, the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia.

Intrada for Six Horns

Jubilate Deo, for orchestra. 2022. 2222–2200–timp–str, 5’30”. Premiered 22 Oct 2022 by the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Sheldon Bair conducting, to open their 2022/23 season. This is a transcription for chamber orchestra of my 2019 choral work, Jubilate Deo. Also a string orchestra version.

Jubilate Deo, for orchestra

Jubilate Deo, for string orchestra. 2020, 5’30”. Premiered 17 Dec 2022 by the strings of the Temple University Music Preparatory Division, Temple University Performing Arts Center, Aaron Picht conducting. This is a transcription for string orchestra of my 2019 choral work, Jubilate Deo, celebrating 40 years of John French’s teaching at Ursinus College. Mark Huxsoll, director of the Temple University Music Preparatory Division, was at that premiere, and thought it would work well, adapted for the strings of their Youth Chamber Orchestra. I was happy to arrange it, and they premiered the new version in December 2022.

Jubilate Deo for string orchestra

2023. SATB a cappella, 15′. Text from the Book of Common Prayer. Commissioned by the William Ferris Chorale, Christopher Windle, Artistic and Music Director. Premiered 5 & 7 May 2023, Chicago. I was asked for a composition responding to Media vita, the landmark English Renaissance work by John Sheppard. I set in English what Sheppard had set in Latin—mostly, that is—by using the poetic rendering from the Book of Common Prayer.

In the Midst of Life

Commissioned by the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, Ed Broms, Director of Music, for its 100th anniversary as the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, and for the dedication of its new sculpture, Nautilus. Premiered November 4th, 2012

The Chambered Nautilus

SSAA, piano (or string quartet). Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Girlchoir, Vincent Metallo, Music Director, for their 10th Anniversary. Text by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Sonnet 43" from Sonnets from the Portuguese.

How Do I Love Thee

SATB a capella. Captivating setting of the John 3:16 text, suitable as anthem or responsory. Long lines, medium difficulty.

God So Loved The World

Northland. SATB choir, piano, 14′. Text by Claude McKay (1890-1948). Commissioned and premiered by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann, Artistic Director, July 23rd, 2023. Movement 1: The Tropics of New York.

Northland 1. The Tropics in New York

Northland. SATB choir, piano, 14′. Text by Claude McKay (1890-1948). Commissioned and premiered by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann, Artistic Director, July 23rd, 2023. Movement 2: America

Northland 2. America

Northland. SATB choir, piano, 14′. Text by Claude McKay (1890-1948). Commissioned and premiered by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann, Artistic Director, July 23rd, 2023. Movement 3: On Broadway

Northland 3. On Broadway

Northland. SATB choir, piano, 14′. Text by Claude McKay (1890-1948). Commissioned and premiered by the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Joshua Habermann, Artistic Director, July 23rd, 2023. Movement 4: To One COming North

Northland 4. To One Coming North

Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor Sängergruß (2023). TTBB, 1'30". Premiered 5 Nov 2023 at the Fall Concert of the Damenchor Wald-Echo with the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor, Jacqueline Smith director, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, Warminster PA.

A Sängergruß is a choir's greeting to its audience. There are generic choral greetings, but many choirs have Grüße especially composed for them. I wrote this for the choir I've been a member of since 2012, the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor. Founded in 2005 from the merger of the Franklinville and the Schwarzwald Männerchöre (former choirs of their respective clubs), the FSM is the last of the Philadelphia-area German men's choirs. Under the direction of Jacqueline Smith, it is active and growing. I am its current President, and composed this is 2023, after we uncovered an older Gruß composed for the Schwarzwald by Theodore Koerner. The text was written/drafted in German and English by me, and then put into excellent German by member and Past President Gregor Helmkamp.

There were two inspirations for this piece. Felix Mendelssohn is one, whose Männerchor works are, like all of Mendelssohn's works, stupefyingly brilliant and subtle, yet sounding as easy and inevitable as a guy falling off a log. The second inspiration is Theodore Koerner.

You've never heard of Ted Koerner, but he was the longtime director of the Schwarzwald Männerchor. His own Sängergruß, written as his audition piece for the choir in 1945, is easily more accomplished, more sure, more professional, more true, and more exciting than 95% of choral music published today. He was a master from whom any composer could learn.

Text:
Von vielen Orten und auch Ländern
stehen wir vor Euch nun hier,
mit uns’ren Stimmen, Herzen, und Händen
im Sang geloben wir:

Das wahre Wort im reinen Klang
das singen wir Euch vor
mit klarem Geist und frohem Sang,
der Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor.

Translation:
From many places, many lands
we stand before you now,
and with our voices, hearts, and hands
we sing in solemn vow:

True word and pristine sounds from here
to you in song we pour,
with spirits clear and joyous song, we’re
the Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor.

Franklinville-Schwarzwald Männerchor Sängergruß

Christmas and Magic
Music by Kile Smith (ASCAP)
Lyrics by Roy Powell (ASCAP)
Strings and brass arranged by Kile Smith
3:53
Andy Cooney, vocal
Demetrios Pappas, piano
Andy Lalasis, electric bass
Bob Shomo, drums
Joseph Kauffman, violins
Elena Kauffman, cellos
Martina Adams, French horns
Hayden Adams, trombones
Andy Cooney recorded at Tiki Mastering Studios, engineer Fred Guarino, Glen Cove, NY.
All instruments recorded, edited, mixed, mastered at Soundplex Studios, engineer Randy Weaver, Pennsauken, NJ.
Joseph Donofrio, producer

Christmas and Magic
kilesmith.com

Christmas and Magic

Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem. SATB, organ, opt. brass quintet, timpani (also opt. 2 violins and brass quartet). 4'. Commissioned by the Presbyterian Church of Barrington, Kirsten Hedegaard, Chorus Director, for Easter Sunday, April 21st, 2019. Premiered there with Gaudete Brass.

Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem, live

2002; 2.2.2.2-2.2-1perc-str. 22′. Commissioned by the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, Donald Spieth, Music Director, and premiered by them on February 15th and 16th, 2002, at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa.
1. Lumen ad revelationem
2. Passer invenit sibi domum
3. The Lord God is a sun and shield

Symphony: Lumen ad revelationem

my son my son. Text by Robert Lax. SATB, 5′. Commissioned by Khorikos. Premiered 3 Nov 2018, Shrine Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, New York City, Alec Galambos conductor.

my son my son

For 7 Renaissance instruments: 2 Soprano Shawms, Alto Shawm, 2 Sackbuts, Quartbass Dulcian, large Tabor. 1'

Commissioned and Premiered 20 Oct 2017 by Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. Brass Quintet version premiered 29 Oct 2017 by Musica Concordia, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Abington, Pa. 

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Smith’s piece exploded into life…. A slew of heavy thwacks on a tabor (a Renaissance snare drum) launched Smith’s Fanfare, mimicking the bang of hammer on nail in Wittenberg. The rasp of shawms and the splendid snort of a quartbass dulcian (a bassoon-like instrument) intoned Luther’s great hymn melody as Smith worked bristling variations on it. It was a bracing opening gesture…"

Fanfare on Ein feste Burg by Kile Smith

The last movement from The Consolation of Apollo, available separately.

The Stars Shine

A setting of the book Grandmother's Garden by John Archambault, for 2-part children's choir, piano, opt. C instrument. 9'

Grandmother's Garden

37', choir, crotales and bass drum (played by singers). The words of the Apollo 8 astronauts as they rounded the moon and saw the earthrise, combined with text by Boethius describing Phoebus (Apollo) and our place in the universe. Includes a portion of the Genesis creation text, which the astronauts read to the world as we gazed at the earth on the television transmission.

The Consolation of Apollo

5:15, for choir and crotales, the second movement from The Consolation of Apollo. 37', choir, crotales and bass drum (played by singers). The words of the Apollo 8 astronauts as they rounded the moon and saw the earthrise, combined with text by Boethius describing Phoebus (Apollo) and our place in the universe. Includes a portion of the Genesis creation text, which the astronauts read to the world as we gazed at the earth on the television transmission.

The Consolation of Apollo 2 Yes It's Beautiful

Movement 1 of this 13' work with text by Paul Celan. Commissioned & premiered by The Crossing. Unaccompanied SATB div.

Where Flames a Word 1, Before your late face

Movement 2 of this 13' work with text by Paul Celan. Commissioned & premiered by The Crossing. Unaccompanied SATB div.

Where Flames a Word 2, Conversation in the Mountains

Movement 3 of this 13' work with text by Paul Celan. Commissioned & premiered by The Crossing. Unaccompanied SATB div.

Where Flames a Word 3, I know you, you are the deeply bowed

A setting of one of the O Antiphons, "O King of the Nations," commissioned by Choral Arts Philadelphia

O Rex Gentium

Psalm 113 and Psalm 150, for 2-part women's choir and mezzo soprano, with piano. Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Girlchoir.

Two Laudate Psalms, 1. Psalm 113

Two Laudate Psalms, 2. Psalm 150

Setting of HEREFORD tune by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, text is Leviticus 6:13 and by Charles Wesley. Commissioned for the 90th Concert Season of the Greenville University Choir and Chamber Singers, Jeffrey S. Wilson, director.

O Thou Who Camest from Above

SATB, 5'. Commissioned for the 25th anniversary of the ministry of  John French as organist/choirmaster of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. Premiered 2 July 2017

Rejoice in the Lamb

SATB, organ. 6'. Setting of the Latin text of Psalm 100, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands," Difficulty: Medium. Commissioned by Ursinus College to celebrate Dr. John French and his 40 years as conductor of the Ursinus Choirs. This recording, John French directing the Church of the Holy Trinity choir, 13 May 2019.

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