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Composer Everette Minchew (born 1977) is consistently active in the creation, performance, and promotion of contemporary music. Moderately prolific, his catalogue includes small chamber pieces for violin, piano, various wind instruments, harpsichord and electronic music. Current commissions include a string trio and an opera based on an 11th-century crusades tale.
His earliest musical training came at the age of eleven when he began playing alto saxophone; it wasn?t long until he began his first attempts in composition.
He received a Bachelor?s Degree in Music History from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied saxophone under world-renowned soloist, Lawrence Gwozdz.
Fearing that traditional university training would hinder his development as a progressive composer, he abandoned the idea of formal lessons in favor of an intense private study of modern masterworks.
Minchew's works are characterized by their intense timbral explorations and brutal dissonance. That is not to say, however, that the compositions are devoid of beauty. In the first of the Two Brief Pieces, for example, the harpsichord chimes stringent yet haunting chords evoking a sense of loss.
Other pieces, like the Figment No. 2 "Juggler's Fancy" play upon the kaleidoscopic interaction between timbres and tones. The rapid alternation of pizzicato, arco bowing, and extreme glissandi remind the listener of Xenakis coupled with a Berio Sequenza. Minchew's Invention "Two-Part Contraption" for piano owes much to Ligeti's etudes and boogie-woogie jazz.
His music has been performed around the United States, and he was the featured composer at the 2005 Intégrales New Music Festival in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
He currently resides in Hattiesburg, Mississippi with his wife, Cheryl.
Author Archives: Everette Minchew
Meeting Elliott Carter
In the spring of 2003, I was finishing up my undergrad thesis at the University of Southern Mississippi. I’d been studying Elliott Carter’s Quintet for Piano and Winds for months, and trying to make heads and tails of his newly … Continue reading
Carter on Carter
Boosey and Hawkes has posted these two video interviews of Elliott Carter talking about his life. Carter on Carter: The Early Years Carter on Cater 2: Symphony and Opera Red Ted Films produced this video. they have produced videos of … Continue reading
fine performances.
In February I had the opportunity to hear two great performances in the Hattiesburg, MS area. The first one, was down the road in Laurel, Mississippi (hometown of the amazing Leontyne Price) at the First-Trinity Presbyterian Church. The concert consisted … Continue reading
speech/unspoken
I was recently asked by trombonist Steve Parker to write a short solo piece for trombone. Hear Steve on myspace here. He is a fine trombonist and is working on a commissioning project that explores the link between language and … Continue reading
Pandora
Recently, I have been listening to a lot of music at work on Pandora.com. Pandora allows you to create your own radio stations by typing in the name of a song, artist, or composer. Then Pandora will compile a station … Continue reading
Baby Steps
2008 brought something new to Mississippi Public Broadcasting: HDRadio. I had no idea HDRadio existed. I know more about it now, but I have yet to see an HDRadio on sale in any store. The new year brought a change … Continue reading
composing No Way.
I recently finished my first instrumental work since Hurricane Katrina passed through these parts. It is a short solo work for clarinet titled, No Way. The initial seed of No Way was planted into my brain earlier this year when … Continue reading
Independence Day playlist
Elliott Carter – Boston Conerto Symphony of Three OrchestrasCharles Ives – Three Places in New England Symphony No. 2Conlon Nancarrow – Piece No. 2 for small orchestraEzra Sims – String Quartet No. 2
Letter to my wind sextet.
Dear Hydra, I apologize. I have spoken ill of you for about two years now. I was convinced you were sub-par and ill-conceived. I even asked your dedicatee to forget about you. I had ideas of cutting you up and … Continue reading
Threnody
In two seconds flat (or so it seemed), Asa ravaged several cookies and my old Thriller cassette. Thriller, PYT, and Billie Jean (in analog format), you will be missed.