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Kühr, Gerd (b. 1952, Maria Luggau, Kärnten). Austrian composer of mostly stage, orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal works that have been performed throughout Europe; he is also active as a conductor.
Prof. Kühr studied composition with Josef Friedrich Doppelbauer and conducting with Gerhard Wimberger at the Salzburg Mozarteum from 1972-79 and composition with Hans Werner Henze at the Musikhochschule Köln from 1980-83. He also attended conducting masterclasses with Sergiu Celibidache and Hans Swarowsky.
Among his honors are the Förderungspreis für Musik des Landes Kärnten (1979), the Österreichisches Staatsstipendium für Komposition (1984, 1988) and the Förderungspreis für Musik of the Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Unterricht, Kunst und Sport (1990). He has also received the Österreichisches Staatsstipendium für Komponisten (1993), the Rolf-Liebermann-Stipendium für Opernkomponisten (1993), the Förderpreis of the Ernst-von-Siemens-Stiftung (1995), and the Würdigungspreis des Landes Kärnten (1996). In addition, his Lamento e Conforto was the Austrian submission to the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers (1985) and his works have been heard twice at the ISCM World Music Days (1992, Warsaw; 1996, Copenhagen). Two portrait concerts were given at the Salzburg Festival (2000) and at the Styriarte Festival in Graz (2003). He also served as composer-in-residence to the Wiener Concert-Verein in 2001-02.
Prof. Kühr is also active in other positions. As a conductor, he has been active primarily in Austria, but also in Germany, Guatemala, Italy, and Russia, notably as a guest conductor at the Shalyapin Festival in Kazan (1990) and as a guest composer-conductor at the festival Wien Modern (1992) and Darmstadt (1994). He served as a répétiteur at the Opernhaus Köln from 1981-84 and at the Opernhaus Graz from 1984-86. He also served as artistic director of the Jugendmusikfest Deutschlandsberg of the festival Steirischer Herbst from 1987-89 and led the composition workshop of the same festival from 1987-91, as well as the composition workshop of the Münchener Biennale from 1990-92.
He lectured at various music schools near Cologne from 1979-84 and has taught at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz since 1985, where he is now Professor für Komposition und Musiktheorie. He taught counterpoint and harmony at the Institut für Musikwissenschaft of the Karl-Franzens-Universität in Graz from 1988-90, as well as composition as a visiting professor at the Salzburg Mozarteum from 1992-94.
Éditions Durand publishes most of his music.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: gerd.kuehr@kug.ac.at
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Stallerhof (3 act opera, libretto by Franz Xaver Kroetz), 3 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, character tenor, baritone, small orchestra, 1986-87 (also suite by David Paul Graham as Szenen aus einem Alpental); Tod und Teufel (10 scene opera, libretto by Peter Turrini), soprano, mezzo-soprano, 3 tenors, 2 baritones, 2 bass-baritones, bass, children's chorus, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1997-99; Agleia Federweiss (10 scene children's opera, libretto by Petra Ernst), youth soprano/mezzo-soprano, 9 children's voices-speakers, children's chorus (minimum 40 voices, separated into variable groups), variable youth rock band, small orchestra, 2000-01
ORCHESTRAL: Fünf Aphorismen, large orchestra, 1979-82 (version of chamber work); Lamento e Conforto, large orchestra, 1983; Musik zum Feuermysterium (suite after Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, Johann Joseph Fux), symphonic band, 1985; Szenen aus einem Alpental, symphonic band, 1988 (suite by David Paul Graham from Stallerhof); Eso Es, 1989; Concertare, clarinet (+ E-flat clarinet, basset horn), orchestra, 1990-91; Si Naturale, small orchestra (12 players), 1991; Vierzehn mal eins, small orchestra (14 players), 1991-92; Mundo Perdido, small orchestra, 1992; Streifton, small orchestra (16 players), 1993; Zwei mal sieben, small orchestra (14 players), 1993-94; Streichholz und Schlagblech, youth orchestra, 1994; …à la recherche…, piano, orchestra, 1995-96; stop and go and black and white (and sometimes blue), small orchestra (17 players), 1999-2000; Ricordarsi, piano 4 hands, string orchestra, 2001-02
CHAMBER MUSIC: Fünf Aphorismen, English horn, violin, viola, cello, 1979 (also version for orchestra); Für Streichquartett, string quartet, 1980-81; Marsch, marsch!, clarinet (+ bass clarinet, alto saxophone), trumpet, trombone, guitar, viola, cello, bass guitar, piano (+ harpsichord ad libitum), 2 percussion, 1981; Móma, English horn, 1981; Für Sonus, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1982; Konversatorium über 'Fast ein Rondo', French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1982; Nachtstück, harp, ensemble (flute [+ piccolo], oboe, clarinet [+ bass clarinet], bassoon, 2 French horns, trumpet, trombone, piano [+ celesta], 2 percussion), 1982; Agaue's Klage, 4 percussion, 1983; 210 Secondi, flute, clarinet, violin, 1984-85; Steirisches Ständchen, violin, cello, piano, 1986; Für Bläserquintett, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1990; Sept pour deux, flute, piano, 1992; Ohne Antwort, flute, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, percussion, 1993; Portraits, cello, piano, 1993; Sei Omaggi, clarinet, soprano saxophone, bassoon, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1995; Con Sordino, string quartet, 1995-96; Trialog, clarinet, cello, piano, 2001-02
CHORAL: Vier Gedichte von Rose Ausländer, mixed chorus, 1981; Unser Mass ist die Wirklichkeit (text from the diary of Walter Buchebner), baritone, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1982; Palimpsest (texts by Erika Burkart, Georg Trakl), mezzo-soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1989-90; Wortlos (vocalise), mixed chorus, 1990; L'Infinito del Sogno (texts by Giacomo Leopardi, Algernon Charles Swinburne), mixed chorus, 1993; Scala quasi unisona (vocalise), any 2 or more voices, 1997; De loin (hommage à Pérotin, text from the Viderunt omnes), 4 mixed voices, alto saxophone, string quartet, double bass, piano, percussion, 1998-99; Three Shakespeare Sonnets, mixed chorus, 2003
VOCAL: Vier Lieder nach Gedichten von Miller Williams, baritone, flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, 1978; Walt Whitman for President (text by Walt Whitman), soprano, flute, clarinet, guitar, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 1984; Idea 94 (texts by William Shakespeare, Sir Edmund Spenser, Algernon Charles Swinburne, Michael Drayton, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg), soprano, cello, piano, 1994; Kein Herbstgedicht (text by Hans Ulrich Treichel), baritone, piano, 2003
PIANO: Quasi una variazione, 1981; Agleia sucht Pollicino - und findet Hans, piano 4 hands, 2001
FILM SCORE (DIRECTOR): Eine Liebe von Swann, 1983 (Volker Schlöndorff; collaboration with David Paul Graham, Hans Werner Henze, Marcel Wengler)
(Last updated on November 5, 2003)
