Aaron Jay Kernis (1960- )
Aaron
Jay Kernis' musical character emerged early and has remained
essentially constant throughout his career: he is a composer with
eclectic interests (both musical and non-musical), a theatrical,
dramatic bent, and an uncompromising attitude toward his art. Kernis'
style is accessible and popular (perhaps because he has avoided
academia), and his music is widely played. He is
best known
for his extravagantly colorful instrumental and vocal
writing.-
David
McCarthy, All Music Guide
COMPOSITIONS Kernis Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Kernis on Kernis
Cycle II, 2 pianos, 4 or 8-hands (1979)
Six Fragments of Gertrude Stein, soprano and flute/piccolo/alto flute (1979)
Stein Times Seven, chorus and piano (1980)
Partita, guitar (1981)
Cycle III, soprano, baritone and large ensemble (1981)
Death Fugue, bass-baritone, percussion and double bass (1981)
Meditation, cello and piano (1981)
Morningsongs, baritone and large ensemble (1982)
The Blue Animals, baritone and piano (1982)
Nocturne, soprano, trumpet, 2 pianos, 2 glockenspiels (1982)
dream of the morning sky (Cycle V, Part I), soprano and orchestra (1982)
Suite in Three Parts, organ (1982)
Music for Trio, flute/piccolo/alto flute, cello and piano (1982)
Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord, chorus and organ (1982)
America(n) (Day)dreams, mezzo-soprano and large ensemble (1984)
Praise Ye The Lord, chorus (1984)
Passacaglia-Variations, viola and piano (1985)
I Will Lie Down, chorus and piano (1985)
Love Scenes, soprano and cello (1986)
Invisible Mosaic I, solo clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1986)
Lullaby (from “Before Sleep and Dreams”), piano (1987)
Phantom Polka, accordian (1987)
Invisible Mosaic III, orchestra (1988)
Barbara Allen, soprano and large ensemble (1988)
Delicate Songs, flute/piccolo/alto flute, violin and cello (1988)
Symphony In Waves, orchestra (1989)
Songs of Innocents, Book I, soprano and piano (1989)
Musica Celestis, string orchestra (1990)
Before Sleep and Dreams, piano (1990)
Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky, baritone, percussion, piano and violin (1990) ~ top of page ~
String Quartet, "musica celestis" (1990)
Second Symphony, orchestra (1991)
Simple Songs, soprano and chamber orchestra (1991)
Simple Songs, soprano and chamber orchestra or ensemble or piano (1991)
Le Quattro Stagioni dalla Cucina Futurismo (The Four Seasons of Futurist Cuisine), narrator, violin, cello and piano (1991)
Mozart en Route, violin, viola and cello (1991)
New Era Dance, orchestra (1992)
Aria-Lament, violin (1992)
Superstar Etude No. 1, piano (1992)
100 Greatest Dance Hits, guitar and string quartet (1993)
Harlem River Reveille, brass quintet (1993)
Still Movement With Hymn, violin, viola, cello and piano or clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1993)
Hymn, accordian (1993)
Colored Field, cello (English horn) concerto (1994)
Lullaby, string quartet (1994)
Goblin Market, narrator and large ensemble (1995)
Too Hot Toccata, orchestra (1996)
Air, cello or violin and orchestra (1996)
Lament and Prayer, violin and chamber orchestra (1996)
Salsa Pasada, guitar and string orchestra (1996)
Air, cello or violin or flute and piano (1996)
Five Etudes (of Claude Debussy) [orchestrated, 1996]
Double Concerto for Guitar, Violin and Orchestra (1997)
String Quartet No. 2, “musica instrumentalis” (1997)
Ecstatic Meditations, soprano, tenor and chorus (1998)
Effortlessly love flows, chorus (1998)
How God Answers the Soul, chorus (1998)
How the soul speaks to God, chorus (1998)
I Cannot Dance O Lord, chorus (1998) ~ top of page ~
Concierto de “Dance Hits”, guitar (amplified) and string orchestra (1999)
Garden of Light, boy soprano, soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus, children’s chorus and orchestra (1999)
- Home (No. 1 from Garden of Light), chorus and part (2002)
- Light of Heaven (No. 2 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
- Is There a Place? (No. 3 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
- In Search of Hope (No. 4 from Garden of Light), chorus (2002)
- In Our Children's Embrace (No. 5 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
Overture in Feet and Meters, orchestra (2000)
Valentines, soprano and orchestra or piano (2000)
Dorma, Ador, mezzo-soprano, chorus and handbells (2000)
Color Wheel, orchestra (2001)
Trio in Red, clarinet in A/Eb clarinet, violin and piano (2001)
Speed Limit Rag, piano (2001)
Toy Piano Concerto (2002)
Fanfare con fuoco, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2002)
Superstar Etude No. 2, piano (2002)
Waltz for Linda, piano (2003)
The Wheel of Time, the Dance, chorus (2003)
Sarabanda in Memoriam, string orchestra (2004)
Ballad, cello and piano (2004)
Music is a Gift, chorus and piano (2004)
Newly Drawn Sky, orchestra (2005)
Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby, soprano, violin, guitar obbligato, piano or Soprano, violin and piano (2006)
Playing Monster, piano (2006)
On the Presence of God, from Two Meditations, chorus and optional organ (2006)
On Transience, from Two Meditations, chorus and organ (2006)
Two Meditations, chorus and organ (2006)
Two Movements (with Bells), violin and piano (2007)
Angel Lullaby, piano (2007)
The Love of God, chorus and organ (2007)
Ballad(e) out of the Blues - Superstar Etude #3, piano (2008)
Symphony of Meditations (Symphony No. 3), soprano, bass-baritone, chorus and orchestra (2009)
Concerto with Echoes, chamber orchestra (2009)
A Voice, a Messenger, trumpet and band (2009)
A Dance of Life, violin (2010) [part of "Munch Suite", 15 composer's interpretations of one of Munch’s pictures]
WORKS BY GENRE Kernis Links ~ top of page ~
Orchestra or Large Ensemble
Invisible Mosaic II, large ensemble (1988)
Invisible Mosaic III, orchestra (1988)
Symphony In Waves, orchestra (1989)
Musica Celestis, string orchestra (1990)
Second Symphony, orchestra (1991)
New Era Dance, orchestra (1992)
Goblin Market, narrator and large ensemble (1995)
Too Hot Toccata, orchestra (1996)
Five Etudes (of Claude Debussy) [orchestrated, 1996]
Overture in Feet and Meters, orchestra (2000)
Color Wheel, orchestra (2001)
Sarabanda in Memoriam, string orchestra (2004)
Newly Drawn Sky, orchestra (2005)
Symphony of Meditations (Symphony No. 3), soprano, bass-baritone, chorus and orchestra (2009)
Concerto with Echoes, chamber orchestra (2009)
Band
A Voice, a Messenger, trumpet and band (2009)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra or Large Ensemble
Colored Field, cello (English horn) concerto (1994)
Air, cello or violin and orchestra (1996)
Lament and Prayer, violin and chamber orchestra (1996)
Salsa Pasada, guitar and string orchestra (1996)
Double Concerto for Guitar, Violin and Orchestra (1997)
Concierto de “Dance Hits”, guitar (amplified) and string orchestra (1999)
Toy Piano Concerto (2002)
Ballad, solo cello and 7 cellos (2004)
A Voice, a Messenger, trumpet and band (2009)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Garden of Light, boy soprano, soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus, children’s chorus and orchestra (1999)
Symphony of Meditations (Symphony No. 3), soprano, bass-baritone, chorus and orchestra (2009)
Choral
Stein Times Seven, chorus and piano (1980)
Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord, chorus and organ (1982)
Praise Ye The Lord, chorus (1984)
I Will Lie Down, chorus and piano (1985)
Ecstatic Meditations, soprano, tenor and chorus (1998) ~ top of page ~
Effortlessly love flows, chorus (1998)
How God Answers the Soul, chorus (1998)
How the soul speaks to God, chorus (1998)
I Cannot Dance O Lord, chorus (1998)
Dorma, Ador, mezzo-soprano, chorus and handbells (2000)
Home (No. 1 from Garden of Light), chorus and part (2002)
Light of Heaven (No. 2 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
Is There a Place? (No. 3 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
In Search of Hope (No. 4 from Garden of Light), chorus (2002)
In Our Children's Embrace (No. 5 from Garden of Light), chorus and piano (2002)
The Wheel of Time, the Dance, chorus (2003)
Music is a Gift, chorus and piano (2004)
On the Presence of God, from Two Meditations, chorus and optional organ (2006)
On Transience, from Two Meditations, chorus and organ (2006)
Two Meditations, chorus and organ (2006)
The Love of God, chorus and organ (2007)
Chamber
Music for Trio, flute/piccolo/alto flute, cello and piano (1982)
Invisible Mosaic I, solo clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1986)
Delicate Songs, flute/piccolo/alto flute, violin and cello (1988)
String Quartet, "musica celestis" (1990)
Mozart en Route, violin, viola and cello (1991)
100 Greatest Dance Hits, guitar and string quartet (1993)
Harlem River Reveille, brass quintet (1993)
Still Movement With Hymn, violin, viola, cello and piano or clarinet, violin, cello and piano (1993)
Lullaby, string quartet (1994)
String Quartet No. 2, “musica instrumentalis” (1997)
Trio in Red, clarinet in A/Eb clarinet, violin and piano (2001)
Fanfare con fuoco, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2002)
Solo Instrument
Partita, guitar (1981) ~ top of page ~
Meditation, cello and piano (1981)
Passacaglia-Variations, viola and piano (1985)
Aria-Lament, violin (1992)
Air, cello or violin or flute and piano (1996)
Ballad, cello and piano (2004)
Two Movements (with Bells), violin and piano (2007)
A Dance of Life, violin (2010) [part of "Munch Suite", 15 composer's interpretations of one of Munch’s pictures]
Piano
Cycle II, 2 pianos, 4 or 8-hands (1979)
Suite in Three Parts, organ (1982)
Lullaby (from “Before Sleep and Dreams”), piano (1987)
Phantom Polka, accordian (1987)
Before Sleep and Dreams, piano (1990)
Superstar Etude No. 1, piano (1992)
Hymn, accordian (1993)
Speed Limit Rag, piano (2001)
Superstar Etude No. 2, piano (2002)
Waltz for Linda, piano (2003)
Playing Monster, piano (2006)
Angel Lullaby, piano (2007)
Ballad(e) out of the Blues - Superstar Etude #3, piano (2008)
Vocal
Six Fragments of Gertrude Stein, soprano and flute/piccolo/alto flute (1979)
Cycle III, soprano, baritone and large ensemble (1981)
Death Fugue, bass-baritone, percussion and double bass (1981)
dream of the morning sky (Cycle V, Part I), soprano and orchestra (1982)
Morningsongs, baritone and large ensemble (1982)
The Blue Animals, baritone and piano (1982)
Nocturne, soprano, trumpet, 2 pianos, 2 glockenspiels (1982)
America(n) (Day)dreams, mezzo-soprano and large ensemble (1984)
Love Scenes, soprano and cello (1986)
Barbara Allen, soprano and large ensemble (1988)
Songs of Innocents, Book I, soprano and piano (1989)
Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky, baritone, percussion, piano and violin (1990)
Simple Songs, soprano and chamber orchestra or ensemble or piano (1991)
Le Quattro Stagioni dalla Cucina Futurismo (The Four Seasons of Futurist Cuisine), narrator, violin, cello and piano (1991)
Goblin Market, narrator and large ensemble (1995)
Valentines, soprano and orchestra or piano (2000)
Two Awakenings and a Double Lullaby, soprano, violin, guitar obbligato, piano or Soprano, violin and piano (2006)
KERNIS LINKS Works by Genre ~ top of page ~
A Winning Composer - Interview (NewHour Online, pbs.org)
Aaron Jay Kernis - A Conversation with Bruce Duffie (bruceduffie.com)
Aaron Jay Kernis: Composer-in-Residence (Minnesota Public Radio)
Aaron Jay Kernis: Lament and Prayer; Newly Drawn Sky (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra)
Aaron Jay Kernis: Second Symphony; Musica Celestis; Invisible Mosaic III (Dan Mager, Making Time)
American Composer Aaron Jay Kernis’ 50th Birthday Celebration at Poisson Rouge in Soho New York (Carnegie Rocks)
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Brings Splash of Summer - Newly Drawn Sky (Washington Post)
Kernis Takes On Ibn Gabirol in 'Meditations' (PBS NewsHour)
Q & A: Aaron Jay Kernis, Composer (Express Night Out)
Composer website (at Chester/Novello) . . . contact Aaron Jay Kernis: katy.tucker@schirmer.com (at G. Schirmer)
Kernis @ Wikipedia
Kernis @ American Music Center
Kernis @ Answers.com
Kernis @ BMI.com
Kernis @ Classical Archives
Kernis @ Classic Cat
Kernis @ Classical Composers Database
Kernis @ Classical Net
Kernis @ ClassicsToday
Kernis @ composition:today
Kernis @ Dilettante Music
Kernis @ Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
Kernis @ Dworkin & Co
Kernis @ Facebook
Kernis @ Grawemeyer Awards
Kernis @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Kernis @ InstantEncore
Kernis @ Minnesota Orchestra
Kernis @ Music of the 21st Century/DePauw University
Kernis @ MusicWeb International
Kernis @ MySpaceMusic
Kernis @ Naxos
Kernis @ New Albion Records
Kernis @ The New York Times
Kernis @ G. Schirmer
Publisher
Kernis @ Boosey & Hawkes
Kernis @ Chester Novello
Kernis @ G. Schirmer
Streaming Audio
Kernis @ last.fm
Kernis @ Minnesota Public Radio - The Composer's Voice
Kernis @ MySpaceMusic
Kernis @ NPR
Kernis @ PBS NewsHour/Kernis Takes On Ibn Gabirol in 'Meditations'
Kernis @ Rhapsody
Recordings
Kernis @ ArkivMusic
Kernis @ Classics Online
Kernis @ Discogs
Kernis @ New Albion Records
Video
Kernis @ YouTube
Kernis @ Google Video
Kernis @ Vimeo
~ top of page ~
Kernis on Kernis: The New York Philharmonic (On "A Voice, A Messenger")
Kernis on Kernis: Trio In Red - An Introduction
Kernis on Kernis: On "Colored Field"
Kernis on Kernis: The Composer's Voice/Minnesota Public Radio (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
Kernis on Kernis: Taking On Ibn Gabirol in 'Meditations'/PBS NewsHour (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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