I am enthralled by the line and curve of melody and rich, rhythmic textures and layers.
My special passion is for choral music and art song because of their unique capacity to convey emotion through the voice. My broad experience as a singer and choral conductor has helped me become uniquely sensitive for voice, writing for children, professionals, and all levels in between.
From the individuals’ sounds I strive to create a “company of voices,” incorporating the distinct qualities of the singers into an orchestral texture. My influences vary from medieval chant and polyphony to gospel and folk.
“Others have described my music as austere but also luscious and fun; I embrace this seeming contradiction.”
My Experience as a Composer
Linda Kachelmeier (b. 1965, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA) is a composer, conductor, and professional singer with a special passion for choral music and art song for their capacity for conveying emotion through the human voice. Her music has been described as having “luscious counterpoint, deliberate dissonances, and assertive vocal interaction.” She has received numerous grants and commissions and in 2017 she was awarded the prestigious McKnight Fellowship for Composition. Linda’s music has been performed by professional ensembles such as The Singers: MN Choral Artists, Cantus, and Cleveland Chamber Choir, as well as many choirs across the United States and internationally. She is the founder and artistic director of the women’s vocal quartet LUMINA. Since 1991 she has been the Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in South St. Paul. Her vast experience as a singer and conductor has helped make her a uniquely sensitive and gifted composer when writing for the voice, from children’s choirs to professional singers and all levels in between.
Includes my bio and several images.