Powell Kit
(02. 12. 1937)
Genre: Classical Music
Biography
* 02. 12. 1937.
Kit Powell was born in Wellington, New Zealand. After graduating he taught music and mathematics at a New Zealand high school and later lectured at Christchurch Teachers Training College where he led numerous courses in new and creative music. He has lived with his family in Switzerland since 1984. Besides his activities as composer he is also a teacher for language and music theory and trained in computer music (Swiss Centre for Music and UPIC (Centre for Contemporary Music) in Paris.
He composes in almost all areas of music including choir (sung and spoken), orchestra, chamber music, brass band, percussion, music theatre, and electronic music. Kit Powell is the author of books on the subject of teaching music.
Kit Powell was born in Wellington, New Zealand. After graduating he taught music and mathematics at a New Zealand high school and later lectured at Christchurch Teachers Training College where he led numerous courses in new and creative music. He has lived with his family in Switzerland since 1984. Besides his activities as composer he is also a teacher for language and music theory and trained in computer music (Swiss Centre for Music and UPIC (Centre for Contemporary Music) in Paris.
He composes in almost all areas of music including choir (sung and spoken), orchestra, chamber music, brass band, percussion, music theatre, and electronic music. Kit Powell is the author of books on the subject of teaching music.
Work list
Suite, op. 3 (1961/90)
Instrumentation: for trombone solo
Duration: 6' 00"
Editions Marc Reift
Case postale 308
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
Galgenlieder (1983)
Instrumentation: for speaking choir, solo speaker, piano, clarinet and percussion
Texts: Christian Morgenstern
Suitable for students at intermediate level.
Duration: 10' 00"
Pan Verlag
Nelson Songs (1986)
Instrumentation: for baritone and electronic tape
Texts: Michael Harlow
Experimental piece using extensive graphic notation.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
(Recorded material available on request)
Sonatina for Trombone (1986)
Instrumentation: for trombone and piano
Composed in four movements (like a sonata da chiesa).
Duration: 8' 00"
SME/EMS
incl. part
Flötenspieler und Fledermäuse (1987)
Instrumentation: for transverse flute (c' - g) and electronic tape
A piece with various modern playing methods based on a picture bearing the same name by Kokoschka.
Duration: 6' 00"
SME/EMS
(Recorded material available on request)
Devotion to the Small (1988)
Instrumentation: for Soprano and five percussionists
An experimental work with extensive graphical notation.
Duration: 12' 00"
Wai-te-ata Press
Chinese Songs (1988)
Instrumentation: for high soprano and electronic tape
Texts: Chinesisch, Lao-Tse
Texts from 'Tao Te Ching' and 'I Ching'.
A confrontation between two contrasting philosophies.
Duration: 16' 00"
SME/EMS
(Recorded material available on request)
Concerto for 2 Violins and String Orchestra (1989)
Demanding solo voices with amateur choir.
Duration: 25' 00"
SME/EMS
Father's Telescope (1989)
Musical theatre piece
Instrumentation: for singers, orator and electronic tape
Texts: Michael Harlow
Playful work dealing with power and submission.
Duration: 15' 00"
Instrumentation: for singers, orator and electronic tape
Texts: Michael Harlow
Playful work dealing with power and submission.
Duration: 15' 00"
SME/EMS
Tide Pools (1990)
Instrumentation: for speaker, choir, SATB and piano
5 short pieces with amusing texts about the New Zealand foreshore.
Duration: 8' 00"
SME/EMS
Gargantua (1990)
Instrumentation: for wind orchestra
Based on the grotesque figures of the middle ages. This is an entertaining piece well suited to an amateur orchestra.
Duration: 10' 00"
Editions Marc Reift
Case postale 308
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
Metamorphoses (1990)
Instrumentation: for two trumpets and two trombones
A conversion of diverse non-metrical themes heading together in the direction a metrical theme.
Duration: 6' 00"
Manuscript
Three Chance Pieces (plus one) (1991)
Instrumentation: for piano
The four movements, three short and one long, were composed using the random technique.
Duration: 8' 00"
Wai-te-ata Press
Snakes and Ladders (1991)
Instrumentation: for cello and piano
A playful competition between cellist and pianist.
Duration: 6' 00"
Wai-te-ata Press
Vlaminck's Tie (1985-1992)
Instrumentation: for baritone and piano
Texts: Michael Harlow
A cycle of phrases in mirrored form.
Duration: 18' 00"
SME/EMS
The Green Man (1989-1992)
Musical theatre.
Instrumentation: for solo percussionist
Work based on a poem by Michael Harlow, which is about the conflict between anima and animus – instruments are arranged as "male" and "female" left and right of the player.
Duration: 10' 00"
Instrumentation: for solo percussionist
Work based on a poem by Michael Harlow, which is about the conflict between anima and animus – instruments are arranged as "male" and "female" left and right of the player.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
Suite for Solo Tenor Trombone (1992)
Five short passages alternating between four and twelve tone material.
Duration: 5' 00"
Editions Marc Reift
Case postale 308
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
Amselbaum (1992)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Brigitte Powell
A cycle in three movements with bird themes.
Duration: 15' 00"
SME/EMS
Whale (1993)
Instrumentation: for trombone (tenor or bass) and electronic tape
An experimental dialogue between man and whale.
Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Mayenzeit (1993)
Instrumentation: for brass band
Minnesang themes and variations for amateur choir.
Duration: 5' 00"
Editions Marc Reift
Case postale 308
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
CH-3963 Crans-Montana
Dies Irae (1995)
Instrumentation: for Soprano, male choir and instrumental ensemble ( flute, clarinet, (bass clarinet), violin, violincello and percussion)
Texts: Thomas a Celano, Konrad Bänninger
Text by Konrad Bänninger and a sequence from the requiem.
Duration: 27' 00"
Manuscript
After Babel (1995)
Instrumentation: for Soprano, piano, two trumpets two trombones and electronic tape
Cycle taking the restoration of language as its theme.
Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
Clara Schumann (1996)
Instrumentation: for Soprano, piano and electronic tape
Cycle of recitatives and variations on the last years of Robert Schumann.
Duration: 25' 00"
Manuscript
Piano Poems (1996)
Nine short pieces with experimental forms.
Duration: 20' 00"
Wai-te-ata Press
Boundaries (1997)
Instrumentation: for two string orchestras and percussion
Stereophonic work for two amateur choirs and percussionists.
Duration: 17' 00"
SME/EMS
(parts: 90.00)
Der Wal (1998)
Instrumentation: for speaking choir and four-handed piano
Texts: Jürg Schubiger
A short piece suitable for youngsters.
Duration: 4' 00"
SME/EMS
Concerto, op. 90 (1998)
Instrumentation: for five percussionists and orchestra (1.1.1.1/1.1.1.0/str)
A work in three movements for a junior choir.
Duration: 21' 00"
SME/EMS
Koauau, op. 91 (1998)
Instrumentation: for transverse flute ensemble (8 players with 16 flutes ranging from piccolo to contrabass flute)
A commissioned work for 'les joueurs de flûte'.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
Salmagundi, op. 92 (1998)
Instrumentation: for brass ensemble (4 trumpets, 2 horns, tuba and 4 trombones)
An entertaining piece from German and English folk songs.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
Credo, op. 94a (1999)
Instrumentation: for organ and tape recorder
Duration: 6' 00"
Manuscript
Instrumentation: for organ solo
Duration: 4' 00"
SME/EMS
Die Poppa, op. 95 (1999)
Instrumentation: for baritone and tape
Duration: 17' 00"
Manuscript
Home Thoughts from Abroad, op. 97 (2000)
Instrumentation: for orchestra (3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp.2perc/hp/str)
Duration: 10' 00"
Manuscript
Ophelia Songs (1999)
Instrumentation: for soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and piano
Texts: William Shakespeare
Four of Shakespeare's texts dealing with the increasing loss of Ophelia's sanity are set to music.
Duration: 11' 00"
SME/EMS
Sextett (2000)
Instrumentation: for clarinet, bass clarinet and string quartet
Duration: 11' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 42.00)
Scheint denn die Sonne heut nicht? (2001)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
9 settings of texts by Robert Walser.
Duration: 20' 00"
SME/EMS
Fanfare Helvetica, op. 100 (2001)
Instrumentation: for fanfare
Duration: 5' 00"
Manuscript
4 Rothko Bilder, op. 102 (2002)
Instrumentation: for 4-handed piano
Duration: 7' 00"
Manuscript
Das Ausland (2003)
Instrumentation: for soprano, bass clarinet, trombone and percussion
1) for soprano and trombone
2) for soprano, bass clarinet and percussion.
Setting of a short story by Jürg Schubiger.
Duration: 7' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 25.00)
Today is the Piano's Birthday (2003)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Setting of a prose poem by Michael Harlow.
Duration: 7' 00"
SME/EMS
6 Fragments for 4 Trombones (2004)
Instrumentation: for 3 tenor trombones and bass trombone
For professional players.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 30.00)
Verschiedene Tiere (2004-2005)
Instrumentation: for soprano, trombone and piano
Setting of 4 prose texts by Jürg Schubiger.
Duration: 17' 00"
SME/EMS
incl. parts
5 Schwitters Songs for Andres (2005)
Instrumentation: for soprano, alto and piano
Settings of 5 texts by Kurt Schwitters.
For Andres Giedion's 80th birthday.
Duration: 8' 00"
SME/EMS
Kapiti (2005)
Instrumentation: for Piano
Sound picture of the New Zealand island Kapiti and it's many bird-inhabitants.
Duration: 4' 30"
SME/EMS
A Shout (2005)
Instrumentation: for soprano, female choir & piano
4 texts by Michael Harlow.
Im memoriam William Cumming, NZ painter.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
Rothko Variations (2005)
Instrumentation: für Orchester (3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp.2perc/hp.pf.xyl/str)
4 Variations with 3 Interludes, inspired by the pictures of Marc Rothko.
Duration: 17' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 150.00)
Wedding Fanfare (2006)
Instrumentation: for horn and organ
Duration: 3' 30"
SME/EMS
incl. parts
Mother Goose Medley (2006)
Instrumentation: for trombone and piano
A medley of English nursery songs.
Duration: 5' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 18.00)
Francesca e Paolo (2007)
Instrumentation: for a-cappella choir
Setting of the famous story of Francesca da Rimini by Dante.
Duration: 10' 00"
SME/EMS
Alles unter einem Hut (2008)
Instrumentation: for soprano and string orchestra
Setting of texts for children by Jürg Schubiger.
Suitable for an amateur orchestra.
Duration: 20' 00"
SME/EMS
(Parts: CHF 36.00)
Discography
Missa Digitalis (stv/asm Nr. 11, 2000)
Heisch, Michael: Agnus Dei (1999)
Lee, Junghae: Kyrie-Umkehr (1999)
Neukom, Martin: 15. Sanctus (1999)
With more works of: Olivier Messiaen, Philippe Kocher
Interpreters:
Kern, SusanneWorks:
Powell, Kit: Credo, op. 94b (1999)Heisch, Michael: Agnus Dei (1999)
Lee, Junghae: Kyrie-Umkehr (1999)
Neukom, Martin: 15. Sanctus (1999)
With more works of: Olivier Messiaen, Philippe Kocher
Info: www.fonoteca.ch
Schweizerisches Zentrum für Computermusik (stv/asm Nr. 4, 1999)
Berger, Gary: im selben raum (1997)
Spoerri, Bruno: Etude pour usines à fer (1996)
Neukom, Martin: Studie 8.3 (1994)
Spoerri, Bruno: De- / In- / Formation (1995)
With more works of: Bruno Spoerri, Brigitte Schär, Harold Vasquez, Michael Horowitz, Simon Jaunin, Nicolas Sordet
Works:
Powell, Kit: Whale (1993)Berger, Gary: im selben raum (1997)
Spoerri, Bruno: Etude pour usines à fer (1996)
Neukom, Martin: Studie 8.3 (1994)
Spoerri, Bruno: De- / In- / Formation (1995)
With more works of: Bruno Spoerri, Brigitte Schär, Harold Vasquez, Michael Horowitz, Simon Jaunin, Nicolas Sordet
Info: www.fonoteca.ch
Last updated: 2020-10-06 16:48:10