Karen
Amrhein (1970-
)
Karen Amrhein is an award-winning member of ASCAP, a recipient
of a 2005
Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, and has twice been
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her music has been described
as "very sensitive to melody, and quite insightful as to the
harmonic structure that will best support it. What results is both
engaging and intriguing, as well as emotionally satisfying, not
infrequently witty, and quite often uplifting - all characteristics and
affects that seem regrettably rare in the work of more recent times." - composer Robert
Sirota, President of the Manhattan School of Music and former Director
of the Peabody Institute)COMPOSITIONS Amrhein Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Amrhein on Amrhein
Serenade, small orchestra (1994)
Sonata for Euphonium and Piano (1995)
String Trio (1995)
Quiet Room, trumpet and piano (1996)
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1996)
Sherwood Triptych, small orchestra (1996)
Semi-Suite, small orchestra (1997)
Hamilton Street Concerto, guitar and chamber orchestra (1998) [arr. 2006(?) for flute or violin and guitar]
String Quartet No. 1 (1998) listen
Olympiad, violin (1998)
Barack's Lullaby, female voice, male voice, recorder/flute, guitar and harpsichord) (1999)
Event Horizon, clarinet, violin, cello, marimba and piano (1999) [also for clarinet and chamber orch]
Symphony of Seasons, orchestra (2000) [also for band] listen listen
Missa humanis, chorus and chamber orchestra (2000)
Wind in the Branches, harp and piano/solo piano (2000)
The Unsheathed Heart, piano quintet (2001)
Little Nemo in Slumberland, ballet for orchestra (2002) [also for wind ensemble] listen
Damosel Amalie and the Knight, piano (2002)
Event Horizon, clarinet and chamber orchestra (1999/2003)
[also arr. for chamber orchestra without soloist; or cl, vln, vc, marimba and pf]
Variants, flute, guitar and string orchestra (2003) [also arr. for flute, guitar, string quartet and piano]
String Quartet No. 2 (2003)
House of the Sudden Sea, orchestra (2004)
Short Stories, 2 violin, viola, cello and piano (2005)
Piano Concerto, piano and chamber orchestra or chamber winds (2005)
The Chrismas Mirror, narrator and orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005)
Euphonium Concerto, euphonium and string orchestra (2006)
Dance Card, piano (2007)
Princess Paliné, narrator, flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (2007) [also used for animated film score, 2009]
The Gift of the Magi, narrator and orchestra (2007)
Isaiah 40 - 2 Settings, chorus and piano (2007)
Jude Doxology, chorus (2007)
Lullaby, soprano, alto and guitar (2003-08)
About the Shire, guitar (2008)
Sonata for Flute and Piano [w/optional cello] (2008)
Pass the Cup of Christmas Cheer, chorus and chamber orchestra (2008)
Psalm 8, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
Psalm 23, voice, clarinet and piano (2008)
Psalm 100, voice, clarinet and piano (2008)
Psalm 150, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
Hebrew Doxology, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
God With US, chorus and chamber orchestra (2008)
Psalm 51, chorus, piano and cello (or chorus and organ) (2008-09)
Psalm 72, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Psalm 93 & 95, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Psalm 103, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Bestiary, orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005-2009)
Princess Paliné, animated film (by composer) (2009) [score from work for narrator and chamber ensemble, 2007]
God Would Be Born in Thee, carol benediction, chorus and chamber orchestra, w/ opt. handbells (2009-10) [text: anon. 15th cent.]
The Book of Jonah, oratorio, 2 tenor soloists, chorus and chamber orchestra (2011-12)
WORKS BY GENRE Amrhein Links ~ ~ ~ Amrhein on Amrhein ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Little Nemo in Slumberland, ballet for orchestra (2002)
Orchestra
Serenade, small orchestra (1994)
Sherwood Triptych, small orchestra (1996)
Semi-Suite, small orchestra (1997)
Symphony of Seasons, orchestra (2000)
Event Horizon, chamber orchestra (1999/2002)
Little Nemo in Slumberland, ballet for orchestra (2002)
House of the Sudden Sea, orchestra (2004)
The Chrismas Mirror, narrator and orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005)
The Gift of the Magi, narrator and orchestra (2007)
Bestiary, orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005-2009)
Band
Symphony of Seasons, band (2000)
Little Nemo in Slumberland, ballet for wind ensemble (2002)
Piano Concerto, piano and chamber orchestra or chamber winds (2005)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Hamilton Street Concerto, guitar and chamber orchestra (1998)
Event Horizon, clarinet and chamber orchestra (1999/2003)
Variants, flute, guitar and string orchestra (2003)
Piano Concerto, piano and chamber orchestra or chamber winds (2005)
Euphonium Concerto, euphonium and string orchestra (2006)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Missa humanis, chorus and chamber orchestra (2000)
Pass the Cup of Christmas Cheer, chorus and chamber orchestra (2008)
God With US, chorus and chamber orchestra (2008)
God Would Be Born in Thee, carol benediction, chorus and chamber orchestra, w/ opt. handbells (2009-10) [text: anon. 15th cent.]
The Book of Jonah, oratorio, 2 tenor soloists, chorus and chamber orchestra (2011-12)
Chorus
Isaiah 40 - 2 Settings, chorus and piano (2007)
Jude Doxology, chorus (2007)
Psalm 51, chorus, piano and cello (or chorus and organ) (2008-09)
Chamber
String Trio (1995)
String Quartet No. 1 (1998)
Hamilton Street Duo, flute or violin and guitar (1998)
Event Horizon, clarinet, violin, cello, marimba and piano (1999/2003)
Wind in the Branches, harp and piano/solo piano (2000)
The Unsheathed Heart, piano quintet (2001)
String Quartet No. 2 (2003)
Variants, flute, guitar, string quartet and piano (2003)
Short Stories, 2 violin, viola, cello and piano (2005)
The Chrismas Mirror, narrator and orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005)
Princess Paliné, narrator, flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (2007)
Bestiary, orchestra or chamber ensemble (2005-2009)
Solo Instrument
Sonata for Euphonium and Piano (1995)
Quiet Room, trumpet and piano (1996)
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (1996)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1996)
Olympiad, violin (1998)
Hamilton Street Duo, flute or violin and guitar (1998)
About the Shire, guitar (2008)
Sonata for Flute and Piano [w/optional cello] (2008)
Piano
Wind in the Branches, piano (2000)
Damosel Amalie and the Knight, piano (2002)
Dance Card, piano (2007)
Vocal
Barack's Lullaby, female voice, male voice, recorder/flute, guitar and harpsichord) (1999)
Lullaby, soprano, alto and guitar (2003-08)
Psalm 8, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
Psalm 23, voice, clarinet and piano (2008)
Psalm 100, voice, clarinet and piano (2008)
Psalm 150, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
Hebrew Doxology, voice, clarinet, percussion (opt.) and piano (2008)
Psalm 72, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Psalm 93 & 95, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Psalm 103, voice, clarinet and piano (2009)
Incidental/Film
Princess Paliné, animated film (by composer) (2009) [score from work for narrator and chamber ensemble, 2007]
AMRHEIN LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Amrhein on Amrhein ~ ~ ~ ~ top of page ~
Composer's website . . . contact Karen Amrhein: here
Amrhein @ Answers.com
Amrhein @ LinkedIn
Amrhein @ MMC Recordings
Amrhein @ New Music USA [formerly American Music Center]
Amrhein @ Orchestralist
Publisher
Amrhein @ Happy Lemon Music Publishing
Streaming Audio
Amrhein @ Composer's website - mainly excerpts; some complete movements/check under individual work listings
Amrhein @ Common Tone #8 - part one of an interview with Karen Amrhein
Amrhein @ Common Tone #9 - part two of an interview with Karen Amrhein
Recordings
Amrhein @ Composer's website
Amrhein @ allmusic
Amrhein @ Amazon.com
Amrhein @ ArkivMusic
Amrhein @ CD Baby
Amrhein @ CD Universe
Amrhein @ itunes
Amrhein @ MMC Recordings
"Fresh Produce" @ Amazon
"Still Life" @ Amazon
Video
Amrhein @ YouTube
~ top of page ~
Amrhein on Amrhein: An Interview with Karen Amrhein (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
Part II of Interview . . . here
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________