Biography
Born in Kansas City, Missouri.
Education
- Yale School of Music (BM 1949, MM 1950--composition).
- Eastman School of Music (Ph.D. 1960--composition).
- Berkshire Music Center (summers 1954, 1955--composition).
Principal Positions
- Composer-in-residence under Ford Foundation Young Composers Project, Arlington, VA 1959-61.
- Composer-consultant under Contemporary Music Project of Music Educators
- National Conference in Arlington, VA and Baltimore, MD schools, 1964-65.
- Professor of theory and composition, University of Maryland, 1965-70.
- Professor of theory and composition, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1971-91. Professor Emeritus as of 7-1-91.
- Composer-in-residence, Santa Barbara Symphony, 1990-92.
- Organist in churches of various denominations, 1940-84; organist at First Presbyterian Church, Santa Barbara, CA, 1984-2002.
Organizations
Annual Updates
2009
PREMIERES
Variations on Old One Hundredth for Piano and Organ, published by Zimbel Press, was premiered by Betty Oberacker and the composer in November at the Santa Barbara Music Club's concert at the Unitarian Society in January, 2009, with subsequent performances by Josephine Brummel and the composer at First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara and by Ruth Lee and the composer at Valley of the Flowers United Church of Christ in Lompoc, CA. Creation Songs for Narration and Oboe, commissioned by St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Bloomington, MN, and Joan Devee Dixon, was premiered in December, 2008 at St. Michael's by Jane Horn, the author of the narration, and oboist Kristen Cooper. Premiered by Philip Ficsor and the composer at the Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara, in May, 2008, was Suite for Violin and Piano, written for Philip Ficsor and published by Hildegard Music Publishing in January, 2009.
PUBLICATIONS
Time Pieces for Trumpet and Organ, written in January, 2009, for Colby and Carson Cooman, has been published by Zimbel Press. Also published by Zimbel Press: Verses on the Birth of Christ for chorus, organ, and bells, commissioned by the Harvard University Choir.
PERFORMANCES
Bellsong performed by Margo Halsted, carillionneur, on the 61-bell, 5-octave carillon at the University of California, Santa Barbara, March, 2009, and also at the University of Sydney by June Catchpoole, February, 2009. Quartet for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, and Piano performed by Colin Jones, Amy Black, Susie Scarr, and Juan Chattah, at Agnes Scott College in March, 2008. Homage to Paderewski and Catch-A-Turian Toccata performed by Philip Ficsor and the composer at the Santa Barbara Music Club, Faulkner Gallery, November, 2008. Four Psalms for Percussion and Organ performed by David Gay, organ and Homero Cerón and Barbara Freischlad, percussion, at St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church, Tucson Arizona, November, 2008. Trio for Flute, Cello & Marimba performed by the Poné Ensemble, at Unison Arts & Learning Center, New Paltz, NY. Three psalm settings performed by John Floreen and the Rutgers University Chorus, December, 2008.
RECORDINGS
Recent recordings of Diemer's music are A Requiem for Woodwind Quintet and String Quintet, on the album Reflections, by North/South Consonance Recordings; Poem of Remembrance for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra, on the album St. Petersburg Orchestra, by John Russo and the St. Petersburg Orchestra; Before Spring for Violin and Piano, on the album Feminissimo!, by Laura Kobayashi and Susan Keith Gray.
2008
In March 2007 Emma Lou Diemer was Composer-in-Residence at Meredith College, Raleigh, NC. Concerts of her music were presented by the Capital City Girls Choir, Fran Page, conductor; the Meredith Chorale and the North Carolina State University Varsity Men’s Glee Club, Lisa Fredenburgh, conductor; duo pianists Kent Lyman and Donna Jolly; organists David Lynch, Kathryn Webb, and Miriam Davis; and sopranos Jessica Jernigan and Rebecca Sealey. The Kirk Choir presented a concert of her works May 19 at Pasadena (CA) Presbyterian Church. Gregory Norton conducted, with organist Timothy Howard, trumpeter Marissa Benedict, and the composer as organist. Her intermediate piano collection, Reaching Out, published by FJH Music (Helen Marlais, editor) was chosen for the 2007 MTAC “Certificate of Merit” Syllabus. Among newly commissioned works, is the piece Verses on the Birth of Christ for choir, organ, and bells (commissioned by Harvard’s Memorial Church Choir, Edward Elwyn Jones, conductor) for the 2007 Christmas carol service, which, according to organist Carson Cooman, is America’s oldest carol service.
Premieres
Variations on Endless Song for organ, commissioned by Marilyn Mason to commemorate 60 years of teaching at the University of Michigan, was introduced by the composer in January 2007 at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Felicity Cashman and the College of Saint Rose Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Robert Hansbrough, presented Concerto in One Movement for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (arranged from the original orchestral work) in March at St. Vincent De Paul Church, Albany, NY. O Beautiful for Spacious Skies, for Symphonic Band, transcribed from the organ solo, was first heard in an April performance by the Tennessee High School Symphonic Band, led by Kevin Hebert, at Ground Zero, NYC. Organist Dudley Oakes presented the commissioned work I Danced in the Morning during the May dedication of the new pipe organ at First Presbyterian Church, Albemarle, NC.
Performances
The Shasta (CA) College Community Chorale, under the direction of Elizabeth Waterbury, performed The Mass, for chorus, percussion, and two pianos, in May 2006. Carillonneur Lyn Fuller presented Bell Song for Carillon in October 2006 at the National Carillon Recital Series, Canberra, Australia. Neighbor, Take This Torch of Peace for chorus and piano (text by Dorothy Diemer Hendry) was heard in a February 2007 performance by the Global Harmony Community Chorus, led by Jennifer Anderson, at North Como Presbyterian Church Third Annual Benefit Concert for Peace in the Holy Land, Roseville, MN. Also in February, pianist Joan DeVee Dixon performed Spirituals for Piano in recital at Frostburg (MD) StateUniversity. Old Black and White Movie was presented in July by the Basso Moderno Duo, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC.
Publications
Concerto in One Movement, marimba and wind ensemble; C. Alan Publications. I Danced in the Morning, organ; Zimbel Press. Neighbor, Take This Torch of Peace, chorus and piano (text by Dorothy Diemer Hendry); Neil A. Kjos Music Company.
Recordings
Paul Freeman Introduces Marilyn Mason includes Concerto in One Movement for organ and chamber orchestra, Marilyn Mason and the Prague Radio Symphony under the direction of Paul Freeman; Albany Records.
2007
Faculty and student soloists and ensembles performed an “Emma Lou Diemer Musicale” at Georgia College & State University (GCSU), Milledgeville, on April 21, 2006. Performers included pianists Richard Mercier, Eunjung Choi, and Roger McVey; sopranos Wendy Mullen, Jessica Lucas, Jennifer Flory; trumpeter Amy Cherry, hornist Heidi Lucas, trombonist Maureen Horgan, flutist Lisa Bartholow; and the Max Noah Singers, Women’s Ensemble, and University Chorus conducted by Jennifer Flory. A new piece, In One of the Stars, featuring a text from The Little Prince by Saint-Exupéry, was commissioned by Cantabile Chamber Chorale in memory of chorus member Leila Eutermarks. A Diemer/Mozart concert, sponsored by the Santa Barbara (CA) Music Club at the Unitarian Society in October, included Homage to Poulenc, Mozart, and MacDowell performed by flutist Suzanne Duffy and cellist Geoffrey Rutkowski, with the composer at the piano; Encore performed by pianist Betty Oberacker, and Psalms for Trumpet and Organ performed by John Ernest and the composer. A festival of Diemer’s music, organized by David Lynch, will be presented at Meredith College, Raleigh, NC, in March 2007.
Premieres
Pianist Joan DeVee Dixon gave the first performance of Psalms for Piano at the Rising Phoenix Retreat Center in Flintstone, MD, in 2005; subsequently, she performed the work a second time in April 2006 at the Bethlehem Peace Center in Israel. Effervescence (text by Flannery O’Connor) was introduced in April by the GCSU Chorus, conducted by Jennifer Morgan Flory, in Milledgeville, GA. Up and Beyond was presented for the April inauguration of the university president by the Taylor University Chorale and Instrumental Ensemble, with pianist Leon Harshenin, under the direction of JoAnn Rediger, Fort Wayne, IN. In November, Vox Femina introduced its commissioned work Triptych (after Sara Teasdale, Amy Lowell, and Walt Whitman) in a November performance conducted by Iris S. Levine, Cal Poly University, Pomona, CA. Evensong (text by Mary Virginia Micka) was given its premiere in February 2007 by the women’s choruses of the University of Minnesota, Augsburg University, Hamline University, and College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, MN.
Performances
Toccata for Six was heard in an April 2006 performance by the Weber State University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Don Keipp, in Ogden, Utah, and in May at Otterbein College, Westerville, OH, by the Otterbein Percussion Ensemble, directed by Jack Jenny. Pianist Nancy Boston presented Sonata No. 3 in April at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. The Culver-Stockton College Symphonic Band, conducted by Thomas C. Polett, performed Declamation for Brass and Percussion in an April concert in Canton, MO. Trumpeter Amy Cherry and organist Ben Outen presented Psalms for Trumpet and Organ in July at Meredith College, Raleigh, NC.
Publications
Poem of Remembrance, clarinet and chamber orchestra; Homage to Poulenc, Mozart, and MacDowell, flute, cello, and piano; Norteamexipanicumsake, for two pianos; Requiem, woodwind quintet and string quintet; all by MMB Music. Odes on Beethoven’s Ninth and Simple Gifts, both for organ; by Zimbel Press. Fantasy on Valet Will Ich Dir Geben and Hyfrydol, organ, by MorningStar Music Publishers.
Recordings
Homage to Poulenc, Mozart, and MacDowell; flutist Michael Finegold, cellist Raphael Popper-Keizer, pianist David Pihl, Essex Chamber Music Players; ECMP label. Before Spring, violinist Laura Kobayashi and pianist Susan Gray; Albany Records. Requiem, for woodwind quintet and string quintet; North/South Consonance. Indian Flute (after Dorothy Diemer Hendry), Nina Assimakopoulos, flute and narration; Capstone Records. Psalms for Piano, Joan DeVee Dixon, available from joandeveedixon.com. “Sonata No. 3,” pianist Nancy Boston, American Women: Modern Voices in Piano Music, CDBaby.com.