EMMA LOU DIEMER Born in Kansas City, Missouri. Mother: Myrtle Casebolt Diemer (church and civic worker, homemaker); father: George Willis Diemer (college president, educator), both deceased; sister (Dorothy Diemer Hendry, educator, writer--Huntsville, AL); brothers (George Willis Diemer, Jr., John Irving Diemer, educators, musicians), both deceased. EDUCATION College High School, Warrensburg, MO (high school diploma, 1945). 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-. Organist in churches of various denominations, 1940-84; organist at First Presbyterian Church, Santa Barbara, CA, 1984-. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Composer Keyboard performer (organ, piano, harpsichord, synthesizer) Composer residencies in various universities, colleges ORGANIZATIONS ASCAP American Music Center College Music Society Mu Phi Epsilon American Guild of Organists International Alliance for Women in Music AWARDS Woods Chandler Prize, Yale University, 1950. Fulbright Scholarship in composition and piano, Brussels Conservatoire, 1952-53. Tanglewood scholarships in composition, summers 1954 and 1955. Louisville Orchestra Student Award, 1955. Arthur Benjamin Award for orchestra music (Eastman School of Music), 1959. Ford Foundation/National Music Council Young Composers Grant, 1959-61. ASCAP Standard Award annually since 1962. Creative Arts Grant from University of Maryland, 1965. National Federation of Music Clubs/ASCAP award for choral and instrumental music for high school and college, 1969. Research grants in electronic music from University of California, 1973-88. Travel and research grants from University of California, 1973-91. Yale School of Music Alumni Association Certificate of Merit, 1977. National Endowment for the Arts Composer Fellowship in electronic music, 1980. Virginia Band Directors National Association prize for band work, 1982. Semi-finalist in Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards, 1989. (String Quartet No. 1). Meet the Composer grants, various states' arts councils funding, etc., 1980-93. Composer-in-residence, Santa Barbara (CA) Symphony, 1990-. Finalist in Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards, 1992. (Concerto in One Movement for Piano). Mu Phi Epsilon Award of Merit, 1995. COMMISSIONS Kindler Foundation (Sextet for Piano and Woodwind Quintet, 1962). Maryland State Teachers Association (Sing a Glory for chorus, band & orchestra, 1963). Fairfax County (VA) Symphony Orchestra (Fairfax Festival Overture, 1967). Wayne State University (The Prophecy for women's chorus, 1968). Armstrong Flute Company (Toccata for Flute Chorus, 1968). South Carolina Tricentennial Commission (Anniversary Choruses for chorus and orchestra, 1970). North Texas State University (Quartet for Flute, Viola, Cello, Harpsichord and Tape, 1974). Dickinson State College (Three Poems by Alice Meynell for chorus and chamber ensemble, 1975). Mu Phi Epsilon (Four Poems by Alice Meynell for soprano and chamber ensemble, 1977). Meredith College (A Musical Instrument for women's chorus and two pianos, 1978). Church of the Reformation, Washington, D.C. (liturgical service, anthems, 1982). Bay Area Women's Philharmonic (Suite of Homages, 1985). St. Lawrence University (Invocation for chorus and orchestra, 1985). Regis College (Peace Cantata for chorus, narrators, organ, brass, timpani, 1985). California Professional Music Teachers Association (Lute Songs on Renaissance Poetry for tenor and piano, 1986). Duke University (three choruses on the Psalms, 1986). National Capital Area Composers Consortium (String Quartet No. 1, 1987). Central Missouri State University (A Feast for Christmas for chorus and brass ensemble, 1988). First Congregational Church, Santa Barbara (anthem May God Be Praised, 1988). Church of the Reformation, Washington, DC (anthem I Will Extol You, 1988). CLAVIER Magazine (Space Suite for Piano, 1988). Deborah Belcher and Paul Statsky (Catch-A-Turian Toccata for violin and piano, 1988). The {Bay Area} Women's Philharmonic (Concerto in One Movement for Marimba, 1991). Santa Barbara Symphony (Concerto in One Movement for Piano, 1991). Music Teachers National Association of California (Three Pieces for Piano, 1991). Iowa Choral Directors Association (Awake! Arise! and Come Away! for mixed chorus and piano, 1991). Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio (There is a Morn Unseen for chorus and orchestra, 1992). First Parish Church, UU, Lexington, MA (All the World a Dream for chorus and organ, 1992). Pemigewasset Choral Society, Plymouth, NH (I Sing for chorus and piano, 1992). Barbara Harbach, Pullman, WA (Toccata for Harpsichord, 1992). Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA (Three Poems of Emily Dickinson for adult chorus and children's chorus op. and piano,1993). The College of St. Catherine, Minneapolis, MN (To Come So for chorus and orchestra, 1993). American Guild of Organists, Far West Regional Convention (Four Biblical Settings for Organ, 1993). Karen Scoville, Los Angeles (Fantasy for Piano, 1993). Worthington United Methodist Church, Worthington, OH (Psalm 150 for choir and organ,1993). Trinity United Church of Christ, Jasper, IN (How Lovely Are Your D wellings for choir, organ, and flute, 1994). Ojai (CA) Camerata (Kyrie for mixed chorus, piano-4 hands, organ, 1993). First Presbyterian Church, Santa Barbara (Psalm 148 for choir, handbells, and organ, 1994). South Dakota chapter of American Guild of Organists. (Prelude, Offertory, a nd Postlude on "Grosser Gott"), 1995. Santa Barbara Symphony. Santa Barbara Overture for 1995-96 season. Arctic Chamber Orchestra and Fairbanks Symphony, Fairbanks, Alaska. Work for organ and orch. for 1996. CRITICAL COMMENTS Organ concert: "She displayed...what consistently thorough and persuasive musical thinking she brings to all of her work." Washington Post. Flute Concerto:: "excellent craftmanship...profile to its thematic material." Omaha World-Herald. Orchestra piece (Fairfax Festival Overture): "The excitement of the music fairly leaps out at you." Washington Evening Star. Keyboard concert: "monumental energy and creativity...introductory comments enlivened with her subtle wit." Santa Barbara News-Press. Songs: "The most engaging work on the program was...Emma Lou Diemer's collection of FourChinese Love-Poems...sensitive music...highly idiomatic." Washington Evening Star. Seven Etudes for Piano: "of great musical interest..." Washington Evening Star, "music of tolling beauty...compelling forward movement." Washington Post. Choral pieces (For Ye Shall Go out with Joy): "The craft of a skilled composer is revealed in this simple yet exciting setting." Choral Journal, (Laughing Song); "(she) has always handled the chorus well in her own distinctive manner..." Notes. Sextet for Piano and Woodwind Quintet: "evidence of good technical skill ...principal energy of the piece is kinetic, and it seldom lets up." Washington Post. Piano Suite for Children: "neatly contrived to occupy and test young piano students." Kansas City Star. Toccata for Organ: "The effect...is spectacular..." Music/A.G.O. Fantasie for Organ: "will appeal to organists...who take an interest in music that is new, different, and meritorious..." Clavier. Toccata for Flute Chorus: "The most effective showpiece (on the recording) is the Toccata..." Instrumentalist. Flute Sonata: "This is an effective work full of good craft and charm... a delight!...graceful vitality with originality." The School Musician. Electronic work: "Patchworks...was a fascinating, witty piece of work." Santa Barbara News-Press. Songs (Four Poems by Alice Meynell): "All singers interested in exploring today's vocal chamber music owe a debt of gratitude to Mu Phi Epsilon and Emma Lou Diemer for the inspired result of this commission." Notes. "Musical gem...her pieces prove that original, contemporary music need not provide an awkward vehicle for the voice." Berkeley Gazette. Choral cycle (Anniversary Choruses): "They are exciting, and would be especially appropriate for festivals." Choral Journal. Hymn settings for organ (With Praise and Love, Vol. II): "(she) has once again given some familiar hymn tunes a fresh and distinctive character ...A fine collection." Journal of Church Music. Electronic work (Funfest): "...stimulating, articulate..." Boston Globe. Orchestra work (Suite of Homages): "...an aural delight. One that other orchestras should pick up speedily." San Francisco Chronicle. Homage to Cowell, Cage, Crumb and Czerny: "...exotic varieties of piano resonance..." The Piano Quarterly. "...highly avant-garde, but eminently accessible score...This may be the first major work written for two pianos to make active use of on-the-strings techniques." Clavier. Serenade for String Orchestra : "...an exciting new work...the work's moxie and allure shone through." Santa Barbara Independent. Variations for Piano, Four Hands : "The find of the evening...full of wonderful sonorities". Courier-Mail, Brisbane. Folk Hymn Sketches for Organ : "...strikingly different...interesting and innovative." Journal of Church Music. Festival of ELD's music : "...a solid and imaginative technique... communicates easily and directly...(the festival was) a rousing success." Toledo Blade. Organ concert: "...Diemer's organ settings were witty and idiosyncratic... [she] is a superb and exciting keyboard stylist." Santa Barbara Independent. Marimba Concerto: "This was a premiere worth waiting for...A stirring score which explores the colors of the marimba in glorious detail. Marimbists around the world have cause to celebrate." Oakland Tribune. "...a vigorous, breath-taking piece." San Jose Mercury News. "...this wondrous Concerto...leaves a strong impression...the central voice is Diemer's own...neither minimalism nor neo-conservatism." Santa Barbara Independent. A Feast for Christmas (choral cycle): "The five movements of this marvelous work are as diverse and rewarding as the five attractive poems chosen by the composer...a major addition to Christmas repertoire." Choral Journal. Piano Concerto: "...an exciting and substantial work..." Santa Barbara Independent. "...young, happy and endearingly innocent...cyncism is banished in this evocation of the American dream...American popular rhythms and tunes are filtered and ground fine by the Romantic concerto and its pursuit of hummable melody..." New York Times. Eight Hymn Preludes for Organ: "...all written in Diemer's delectable style...great fun to play...". The Diapason. String Quartet No. 1: "...cyclical themes, a strong architectural sense and a central core that played beautifully on the balance of rhapsodic upper-string stylings and metrical string ostinatos." Washington Post. ADDRESSES Seesaw Music Corporation, 2067 Broadway, New York, NY 10023. Arsis Press/Plymouth Music Company, Inc./Music for Percussion, Inc., 170 N.E. 33rd St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334. Santa Barbara Music Publishing, 260 Loma Media, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Vivace Press, NW 310 Wawawai Road, Pullman, WA 99163-2959. C. Alan Publications, P.O. Box 29323, Greensboro, NC 27429-9323. The Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestra Music, The Free Library of Philadelphia, Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Contemporary Record Society, 724 Winchester Road, Broomall, PA 19008. Coronet Recording Co., 4971 N. High St., Columbus, OH. 43214. North/South Records, Inc., P.O. Box 5081, Albany, NY 12205-0081. MMC Recordings, Ltd., 240 West Street, Reading, MA 01867-2847. Emma Lou Diemer 2249 Vista del Campo Santa Barbara, CA 93101-4657 (805)687-2457 CompuServe 75123,1015 [Revised March, 1995] 4/95