Geoffrey Kidde, D.M.A.

Composer and Flutist Geoffrey Kidde (born 1963) has written music for a wide variety of media: two operas; an orchestral song cycle; an electronic tape mime theater work based on Kafka’s Metamorphosis; film scores; works for instruments with electronic tape; and orchestral, vocal, choral and chamber music. Mr. Kidde was commissioned by the National Flute Association to compose a work for the final round of the 2002 National Flute Association Convention’s High School Soloist Competition in Washington, D.C. Another commission came from Hofstra University New Music Ensemble, which resulted in The Spirit of Liberty (2002) for Soprano, Flute, Alto Saxophone, Violin, 'Cello, Piano and Two Percussionists. A number of his recent works have been performed at Manhattanville College, including Two Songs from John Donne (2009) for women's choir and piano, and Manhattanville in Spring for Soprano and Piano. This last was performed at the inauguration of president, Molly Easo Smith.

As a flutist, he is known for innovative programming and vibrant musicianship. He performed his work Samsara (2006) for solo flute and electronics at the College Music Society 52nd Annual Convention in 2009. He performed his own Electric Blues at the 2005 National Flute Association Convention in San Diego. The Electric Expressions Concert at the 1999 Bar Harbor Music Festival featured Kidde performing George Crumb’s Vox Balanae (Voice of the Whale) (1972) for electric flute, electric ‘cello and electric piano, and Thea Musgrave’s Narcissus (1986) for flute and digital delay. This concert also included Kidde’s own Waves (1999) for ‘cello and computer generated sounds. Nan Lincoln, in The Bar Harbor Times, wrote that “Mr. Kidde’s flute was an absolute joy to hear with its distinct yet liquid phrasing.” In 2000, the Bar Harbor Music Festival commissioned and presented the premiere of Geoffrey Kidde’s Shooting Star, written for the Stuart Marrs Percussion Ensemble.

Kidde’s music has received much recognition. Two of his flute and piano scores have been published: Sonata was published by SCI Journal of Scores, and When the Tide Runs High was published by Alry Publications. A CD recording by the Gregg Smith Singers of his choral pieces Songs from William Carlos Williams was released in 2007. His orchestral prelude Quest (1992), recorded by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra and conducted by the late Robert Black (MMC Recordings 2015), was praised by Robert Carl in Fanfare Magazine. Island (1992) won NACUSA’s 1993 Competition’s Second Prize. The premiere performance of Bagatelle (1993) for piano and electronic tape by Joan Rowland in London’s St. John’s Smith Square received a rave review by Barry Millington in Musical Opinion: “the tape [part] was one of the most attractive and ingeniously assembled I have encountered.” Kidde’s East Coast/West Coast (1989-90) for piano four-hand was performed by the Schnabel Duo throughout North America and Europe. Kidde’s music score for the award-winning feature film Habit (1997)* by film maker Larry Fessenden--was “beautifully scored” wrote Amy Biancolli in the Albany Times Union. [*internationally distributed through Fox Lorber]

Geoffrey Kidde is currently an Associate Professor of Music at Manhattanville College, where he teaches Music Theory and Music Technology. He has presented flute recitals at Manhattanville College,  North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Bridgeport, and the Third Street Music School Settlement in New York. He has also taught music at Hofstra and St. John’s Universities, Queensborough Community College (CUNY), the Third Street Music School Settlement, the University of Bridgeport, and Columbia University’s Electronic Music Center. From 1991 to 1993 he served as Executive Director, and from 1993-95 as President of the League of Composers/ISCM, U.S. Section. In 1995 he received his D.M.A. from Columbia University, where he studied with Mario Davidovsky, Chou Wen-chung, and George Edwards, and in 1988 a M.M. from New England Conservatory, studying there with John Heiss and Malcolm Peyton. His flute teachers include Robert Dick, Jayn Rosenfeld, Patricia Spencer, and Robert Stallman. (March 2011)