John Diercks

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John Diercks (b. New Jersey, 1927) is an American composer.

He holds degrees from Oberlin College (B.M.), the Eastman School of Music (M.M., 1950), and the University of Rochester (Ph.D). His composition teachers included Bernard Rogers (1949-50), Howard Hanson (1958-59), and Alan Hovhaness (1956-58 and 1975). His music is influenced by Asian musics and microtonality.

Diercks served as the chair of the music department of Hollins University in Virginia.

He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii with his wife Thelma.

[edit] Compositions

About a lamb: four poems by Blake, for voice and piano (songs)
Alleluia, for SSAA a cappella chorus
The Bee Caresses the Flower as the Elephant Destroys the Stable, for piano four hands
Clap your hands!, for voices and piano or organ, SATB choir optional (unison anthem)
Concertino for oboe and band
Concertino for piano and woodwind quintet
Diversion for two clarinets and piano
Diversion for two clarinets and strings
Dove of Peace, and other early American hymns for unison voices with organ and handbells
Fantasy, for horn and piano
Figures on China, for horn, trombone, and tuba
For a time and place, for two pianos
He is risen, alleluia, Easter anthem for two-part mixed choir (with brass)
Horn quartet
How long, O Lord: Psalm eighty, for SATB choir and organ (anthem)
Jesus is my sure defense (Jesu meine Zuversicht), chorale prelude
Kongai: The soul of the great bell, for carillon
A Little JSB Suite, for two pianos
Lord, I cry unto thee, Lenton and general anthem for SATB voices
Lyric suite, for violin, B-flat clarinet or viola, and cello
A mighty fortress (chorale prelude)
Mirror of brass, for brass septet (2 B-flat trumpets, horn 1 or trumpet 3, horn 2 or trombone 3, trombones 1 and 2, tuba or tenor-bass trombone)
Moonspell (or Moon Spell), for piano four hands
Night vision, for two pianos
O Christ, thou lamb of God (chorale prelude)
O how fleeting, how deceiving (chorale prelude)
O sacred head (chorale prelude)
Prelude to Manvantara, for carillon
Quartet, for 2 B-flat trumpets, F horn, and trombone
Quintet for strings and piano
Reminiscences, for two quarter-tone pianos
Six Sacred Compositions, for organ (pipe organ and Hammond registration)
Sonata for oboe and piano
A star arises, Op. 52 (cantata)
Suite for alto saxophone and piano
Suite for flute and organ
Suite for flute and piano /
Suite for Strings, for string orchestra with optional piano
Suite no. 1, for piano, four hands
Theme and variations, for piano
Twelve Sonatinas for piano
Two Psalms: Psalm 23, Psalm 150
Variations on a theme of Gottschalk, for tuba and piano
Three Diversions, for flute (alto recorder) and piano (or harpsichord)
Two Israeli dances /
Wind Quintet
Variations on a Flower Drum Song, for two pianos
Variations on a Flower Drum Song, for two pianos
Why do the nations rage? (Psalm 2), general anthem for unison voices