John Diercks

John Diercks (b. New Jersey, 1927) is an American composer.

He holds degrees from Oberlin College (B.M.), the Eastman School of Music (M.M., 1950), and the University of Rochester (Ph.D). His composition teachers included Bernard Rogers (1949-50), Howard Hanson (1958-59), and Alan Hovhaness (1956-58 and 1975). His music is influenced by Asian musics and microtonality.

Diercks served as the chair of the music department of Hollins University in Virginia. At Hollins, his work was often performed by Professor Oscar James McCullough, baritone. Over the years, Professor McCullough worked diligently to promote Diercks' compositions. They performed together, for example, at The Phillips Art Gallery in Washington, D.C. in November 1964.

He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii with his wife Thelma, who is also an accomplished pianist.

Compositions

*About a lamb: four poems by Blake, for voice and piano (songs)
*Alleluia, for SSAA a cappella chorus
*The Bee Caresses the Flower as the Elephant Destroys the Stable, for piano four hands
*Clap your hands!, for voices and piano or organ, SATB choir optional (unison anthem)
*Concertino for oboe and band
*Concertino for piano and woodwind quintet
*Diversion for two clarinets and piano
*Diversion for two clarinets and strings
*Dove of Peace, and other early American hymns for unison voices with organ and handbells
*Fantasy, for horn and piano
*Figures on China, for horn, trombone, and tuba
*For a time and place, for two pianos
*He is risen, alleluia, Easter anthem for two-part mixed choir (with brass)
*Horn quartet
*How long, O Lord: Psalm eighty, for SATB choir and organ (anthem)
*Jesus is my sure defense (Jesu meine Zuversicht), chorale prelude
*Kongai: The soul of the great bell, for carillon
*A Little JSB Suite, for two pianos
*Lord, I cry unto thee, Lenton and general anthem for SATB voices
*Lyric suite, for violin, B-flat clarinet or viola, and cello
*A mighty fortress (chorale prelude)
*Mirror of brass, for brass septet (2 B-flat trumpets, horn 1 or trumpet 3, horn 2 or trombone 3, trombones 1 and 2, tuba or tenor-bass trombone)
*Moonspell (or Moon Spell), for piano four hands
*Night vision, for two pianos
*O Christ, thou lamb of God (chorale prelude)
*O how fleeting, how deceiving (chorale prelude)
*O sacred head (chorale prelude)
*Prelude to Manvantara, for carillon
*Quartet, for 2 B-flat trumpets, F horn, and trombone
*Quintet for strings and piano
*Reminiscences, for two quarter-tone pianos
*Six Sacred Compositions, for organ (pipe organ and Hammond registration)
*Sonata for oboe and piano
*A star arises, Op. 52 (cantata)
*Suite for alto saxophone and piano
*Suite for flute and organ
*Suite for flute and piano /
*Suite for Strings, for string orchestra with optional piano
*Suite no. 1, for piano, four hands
*Theme and variations, for piano
*Twelve Sonatinas for piano
*Two Psalms: Psalm 23, Psalm 150
*Variations on a theme of Gottschalk, for tuba and piano
*Three Diversions, for flute (alto recorder) and piano (or harpsichord)
*Two Israeli dances /
*Wind Quintet
*Variations on a Flower Drum Song, for two pianos
*Variations on a Flower Drum Song, for two pianos
*Why do the nations rage? (Psalm 2), general anthem for unison voices

External links

* [http://www.tritone-tenuto.com/diercks.htm John Diercks page]