Shawn Kirchner

Shawn Kirchner is an acclaimed American composer, arranger, songwriter, singer, and pianist whose choral works are performed internationally.1 His music is recognized for bridging classical choral and instrumental traditions with the rich heritage of folk, carol, and hymn traditions, often incorporating the rhythmic vitality, counterpoint, and improvisatory spirit of Baroque and bluegrass styles.1,2 Kirchner's long creative partnership with the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) and Artistic Director Grant Gershon culminated in his tenure as the ensemble's Swan Family Composer-in-Residence from 2012 to 2015.1,2 In addition to his composing, Kirchner has maintained an active performing career, singing as a tenor with the LA Master Chorale for 24 seasons and as a session singer on numerous feature film soundtracks, including Avatar, Frozen, and La La Land.2,3

Early Life and Musical Development

Shawn Kirchner was raised with his triplet brother and sister in Cedar Falls, Iowa.2,4 His musicianship was significantly shaped through intensive piano study with teachers Joan Smalley and George Katz, and at church, where he accompanied the choir and played organ.4 This involvement reflects his lifelong connection to the Church of the Brethren, which is described as an historic peace church.2,4

Kirchner's educational path reflects a blend of musical and humanitarian interests. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Peace Studies from Manchester University, where he also spent his junior year studying Chinese language, literature, history, and music at the Dalian Foreign Language Institute in Dalian, China.4 During his time at Manchester, he was mentored in songwriting by the poet/songwriter Steve Kinzie, who remains a principal creative mentor and influenced Kirchner's folk/bluegrass style.2,4 He later earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Choral Conducting from the University of Iowa.4 His early work as a vocal coach and pianist in Chicago, including for Neil Rosenshein's studio at the Lyric Opera's Center for American Artists, further honed his skills.4 His style also synthesizes his classical training with improvisation, a skill that has fueled his creativity since childhood.2,4 Kirchner credits American choral matriarch Alice Parker as a significant mentor in choral arranging and music philosophy.5 His background in a peace church and his degree in Peace Studies have shaped his focus on issues of peace and justice in his life and music, including contemporary works reflecting on gun violence, disinformation, the refugee crisis, and the environmental crisis.1,2

Most Known Works

Kirchner's most well-known works often draw from folk traditions, hymns, and spiritual texts, as well as significant poetry, reflecting his wide stylistic range.1,3

Footnotes and References

1. Shawn Kirchner is a composer, arranger, and songwriter based in Los Angeles whose choral works are performed throughout the world. His music finds a middle ground between classical choral and instrumental traditions and the inheritance of the folk, carol, and hymn traditions. Source: [Chorus America]

2. Kirchner has sung in the LA Master Chorale for 24 seasons... Kirchner was raised with his triplet siblings in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Source: [Los Angeles Master Chorale]

3. Kirchner's choral writing is informed by his interest in songwriting and folk/carol traditions on the one hand, and poetry on the other. Best-known worldwide for his setting of the Kenyan song Wana Baraka and other settings of traditional American songs... Source: [Vox Anima London]

4. Kirchner was raised with his triplet brother and sister in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His principal piano teachers were Joan Smalley and George Katz... He earned a BA in Peace Studies from Manchester University and a MA in Choral Conducting from the University of Iowa... Kirchner's solo work with the Master Chorale includes singing in a small ensemble with Meredith Monk... Source: [Los Angeles Master Chorale (artist-details/14)]

5. His principal creative mentor is the banjo-playing poet Steve Kinzie, with much owed as well to the trail blazed by American choral matriarch Alice Parker. Source: [About - Shawn Kirchner]

6. Songs of Ascent is a ten-movement, 45-minute psalm cycle for harp, strings, chorus, and soloists that was written for Kirchner's composer residency with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Source: [Songs of Ascent (complete cycle) - Shawn Kirchner]


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