Donald M. Skirvin
(b. 1946)
Donald Skirvin served as composer-in-residence with the a cappella vocal ensemble, The Esoterics, from 1997 through 2003. During his tenure with this group he wrote twenty-five new pieces, eleven of which appear on CDs released by The Esoterics. Mr. Skirvin has also served as conductor and organist with various churches and musical organizations. His primary music focus since relocating to Seattle has been composition. He studied music at the Jordan Conservatory of Music, Indianapolis, and at Indiana University, Bloomington, and is a member of ASCAP and the Washington Composers Forum.
Discography
Conspirare’s (www.conspirare.org) recording of Alchemy on their November, 2004 CD release, Through the Green Fuse, garnered critical acclaim, with David Vernier, reviewer for Classics Today, writing:
“...A fine set of four pieces by Donald Skirvin titled Alchemy–individual titles are Living Gold, Cups of Fire, Jewelled Blaze, and O Beauty--is rich in imagery wrought by imaginative use of harmony and apt, sensitive text-setting. And it’s also just plain gorgeous music that speaks well for this composer’s facility with voices; I only wish I knew more about him and about this work. (Actually I checked the Yelton Rhodes website–www.yrmusic.com–and found a very interesting catalog of Skirvin’s choral music that revealed Alchemy was composed in 2002, and that indeed the texts are all by Sara Teasdale, not just the last one, as suggested by the booklet layout.)...”
See the complete review of this CD on Classics Today: www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=8499
Works recorded on CDs issued by The Esoterics include a three-movement work, Echoes from the heart, written for double chorus, and presented on their Antiphonia CD, a four-movement work, Songs of the Equinox and Solstice, released on their Elementia CD and a recording of the four-movement work, Alchemy, on their June, 2005, Immaginosa CD.
Commissions 2005-2006
Mr. Skirvin was commissioned by The Esoterics to write a major choral work based on Buddhist texts for its December 2005 concert, Haramita. The group Ædonis has commissioned a set of pieces based on poetry by Hart Crane. The Seattle Women’s Chorus has commissioned a work for its 2006 winter concert.
The 2004-2005 Esoterics’ concert series was awarded an NEA grant to fund the commissioning of new a cappella choral compositions by four composers, three of whom are from Seattle: Diane Thome, Bern Herbolsheimer, and Donald Skirvin.
Seattle Performances
Seattle performances of his works include The Seattle Choral Company’s seasonal concert in 2002 which featured Only the Heart Will Hear, the fourth movement of his larger work, The Seasons, scored for chorus, alto soloist and chamber orchestra. Two works, Sonata for Violin and Piano and Habañera Variations for Clarinet and Piano, were presented at a Sound Currents concert in October 2003 (www.soundcurrents.org). The violin and piano duo of Karen Bentley and Dmitriy Cogan reprised the Sonata for Violin and Piano at the Frye Art Museum in February 2004, under the auspices of the Washington Composers Forum (www.kbentley.com/recent.htm - 2004-02-06).
In May 2004, The Esoterics performed Alchemy, a work they commissioned and premiered in 2002. The recently-formed ensemble, Ædonis, a sub-group of the Seattle Men’s Chorus, commissioned and performed Songs of the Nightingale in their debut concert in March 2005. Mr. Skirvin’s works have been broadcast locally, most recently on The Classical Edge, KSER-FM. The Kirkland Choral Society will perform Triumphant Light Fanfare and Hymn for the Winter Solstice, scored for trumpets, percussion, piano and mixed chorus, in their upcoming holiday concert in Bastyr University Chapel on November 20th, 2005.
Other Seattle performances include Do Not Weep, a commission by the Seattle Men’s Chorus for men’s chorus, Bass solo, Trombone and Piano which appears on their Pink Album CD (www.seattlemenschorus.org/music.html); Earth Chants, also a commission by the Seattle Men’s Chorus and performed in St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral as part of the theatre piece, Fool’s Passion, scored for men’s voices, piano, organ, didgeridoo, percussion, and wine glasses. Other works have been premiered by Seattle groups including The Bainbridge Chorale (On Earth, Bring Peace, and Festival Alleluia) and the Northwest Chamber Chorus (Epistle To Be Left in the Earth).
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SEARCH YRM CATALOG FOR:
Music by Donald M. Skirvin
YRM PUBLISHED WORKS:
YR2414 Alchemy
YR2408 At the Gate
YR2401 Ave Maria
YR2406 Carol
YR2405 Do Not Weep
YR2410 Echoes From the H...
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YR2416.3 Fall Equinox: The...
YR2409 Festival Alleluia
YR2402 His Loving Eyes
YR2413 Hosanna in The Hi...
YR2411 On Earth, Bring P...
YR2400 River Song
YR2412 Sensuous Requiem
YR2416 Songs of the Equi...
YR2416.1 Spring Equinox: N...
YR2416.2 Summer Solstice: ...
YR2415 To Babylon
YR2403 Triumphant Light ...
YR2404 We Sing the Dream
YR2407 Winter Light A So...
YR2417 Winter Reverie
YR2416.4 Winter Solstice: ...
YR2418 Yet, Love Endures
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