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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
This and That.
Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in a masterclass given by the Rome Prize winner, Ken Ueno. The masterclass was part of the two day Integrales New Music Festival at the University of Southern Mississippi. My flute work, Figment … Continue reading
Ballet Music
Last year, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with one of the University of Southern Mississippi’s extremely talented dance students to produce a new work. I created the piece In Pursuit of Mythical Beasts which is based on my … Continue reading
Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!
Sunday afternoon my wife and I went to our favorite Mardi Gras parade, which is the St. Pauls Carnival Association Mardi Gras Parade held in Pass Christian, MS. The entire town of Pass Christian was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Pre-Katrina … Continue reading
Huh?
I decided to look around for new recordings of music by Beat Furrer when I came across this. It isn’t as entertaining as this goof I found a year or so ago, but I would love to hear FAMA composer … Continue reading
Happy Birthday, Mr. Carter!
People are already planning centenary events. Today the (great)grandfather figure of American music is 98, and he is still composing. I hope that if I reach that age I am still as physically and mentally agile. So Happy Elliott Carter … Continue reading
Zappa
Al Theisen just turned me on to the classical music of Frank Zappa.More specifically the works on the Boulez conducts Zappa The Perfect Stranger recording. Perfect Stranger is an amazing work as is Naval Aviation in Art. Why aren’t these … Continue reading
There has been a recall.
Sorry, Colin Matthews, but you are going to have to take it back. Pluto is no longer a planet. They must have been Holst fans.
Afternoon Concert
Asa recently treated the family to a wonderful afternoon concert of what sounded like aleatoric piano music. I would like to be the first to announce that Asa is a musical genius. Look at that technique. Amazing!
collaborative effort
I apologize for my unintended hiatus from S21. But I have had an extremely hot and busy summer here in Hattiesburg. Like Jerry, I also suffer from asthma and this conflagration known as summer is not so fun for us. … Continue reading
to G.L.
Death’s truer nameIs “Onward,” no discordance in the rollAnd march of that Eternal HarmonyWhereto the world beats time. Alfred Tennyson Tennyson (1809–1892)