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Birthdays:

Dying days:

Events:

Dramatic Compositions

• Escurial, Opera in One Act, 1968
• Migle and the Bugs, Opera in One Act, 1968
• Christiana’s Conversion, Dramatic Cantata, 1972
• Tom Sawyer, Opera in Three Acts, 1983
• The Hollow, Opera in One Act, 1989
• Portraits from Macbeth, for voice and percussion ensemble, 1992
• Evangeline, Opera in Two Acts, 1995
• The Christmas Coin, Opera in One Act, 1999
• The Fable, Ballet, 1998

Symphonic Compositions

• Six Dances for Orchestra, 1969
• Biblical Sketch No. 1, 1973
• Symphony No. 1, 1976
• Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, 1969 (revised 1979)
• Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, 1991
• Symphony No. 2, 1997
• Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, 1999
• Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, 2000

Wind Ensemble/Concert Band

• Mass in English, for Chorus and Wind Ensemble, 1985
• A Romantic Overture, 1988
• Symphony for Winds, 1984
• Icarus and Daedalus Fantasy, 1992
• Concertino for Flute and Wind Ensemble, 1996
• The Last Voluntary, 1997
• Passages, 1998
• Concert Overture, 2000
• Double Concerto for Flute and Clarinet, 2001
• An American Requiem, 2002
• Introduction and Allegro, 2003
• In Memoriam, dedicated to the firefighters that lost their lives in the terrorist attack of 9/11, 2003

Chamber Music

• Elegy to Rosa Hart, ?
• Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano, 1966
• String Quartet, 1966
• Piano Suite, 1967
• Sonata for Piano, 1968
• Sonatina for oboe and piano, 1968
• Scherzo for Piano, 1969
• Processional for Organ, 1969
• Suite Comique, for Flute and Chamber Ensemble, 1969
• Sonata for Solo Tuba, 1969
• Biblical Sketch No. 2 for String Quartet, 1972
• Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1972
• Processional for violin, bass, and piano, 1972
• Scherzo for Piano, 1973
• Piano Quintet, for Piano and Strings, 1978
• Night’s Lament, Nocturne for Piano, 1983
• Concert Sonatina, for Alto Saxophone and Chamber Ensemble, 1985
• Fantasy for Trumpet and Chamber Ensemble, 1985
• Sextet for Brass, 1986
• Quintet for Brass, 1988
• Windsor Variations, for Horn and Piano, 1988
• Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, 1989
• Sonatina for Flute and Piano, 1991
• Nocturne for Horn and Piano, 1994
• Rainy Night Soliloquy, for Trumpet and Piano, 1994
• Je m’en dors (Cajun Waltz) for flute and guitar, 1997
• Sonata for Piano, Clarinet, Trumpet, and Percussion, 1997
• Sonata for Flute and Guitar, 1998
• Night Song of Orpheus for Marimba and Vibraphone, 1999
• Elegy for Viola and Piano, 2000
• Sonata for Flute and Piano, 2001
• Night Riders Fanfare for 5 trumpets, 2003
• The Maniac of Gadara (Biblical Sketch No. 3, for Bassoon, Trumpet, and Piano, 2004
• Quartet for four celli,
• Nocturne for Flute and Piano, 2005
• Suite for three Harps, 2006
• Canto for piano and clarinet or oboe, 2007

Choral Music

• Psalm 96, 1972
• Mass in English, for Chorus and Wind Ensemble, 1985
• O worship the Lord (introit for SATB), 1986
• Rend Your Heart, 1987
• The Gates of Righteousness: Anthem for the Dedication of a Church, 1989
• Introit for Lent, SATB, 1990
• Introits for the Church Year, 1991
• ‘Tis Midnight, Anthem for SATB, 1992
• Give Thanks, Anthem for SATB, 1992
• Adoration, anthem for SATB, 1993
• Worthy is the Lamb (SATB chorus with piano)
• Psalm 67, Anthem for SA, 1994
• To Jesus Our Victorious Lord, Congregational Hymn, 1994
• In the Last Days, a Pentecost Cantata, 1995
• Introit for Easter, 1996
• Jeanne d’Arc (SATB), 1998
• An American Requiem, 2002
• We Are Children of God (SA children’s chorus with piano), 2003
• Thou Art Worthy (SATB with piano), 2004
• Sound Forth the Trumpet, ?
• The Greatest Commandment, ?
• Psalm 47, ?
• The Hour Has Come, 2007
• To Him Who Overcomes, ?

Vocal Music

• Orfano (three songs), 1968
• Vocalise for soprano, 1968
• Prayer, 1969
• Psalm 121 for Voice and Piano, 1971
• The Barren One, Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano based on Yerma, by Garcia Lorca, 1971
• Who is a God Like Our God?, 1979
• Lorica(words of St. Patrick) for mezzo-soprano,1986
• Entreaty for Soprano and piano, 1986
• Three Places in the Landscape of a Soul, for Solo Tenor, Cello, Piano, and Chorus, 1993
• Three Songs to Texts by Women Authors, 1993
• Wanderer’s Night Song for Tenor and Piano, 1994
• Song for Lake Charles, 1997
• On the First Day of the Week for Soprano, Flute and Piano, 1999
• When Hope still had its Chance, 2003
• Psalm 23, 2005

Keith Gates (1948–2007) lived in Lake Charles, home of McNeese State University, where he taught for many years. Gates began serious musical studies in composition as a high school student at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. After receiving his high school diploma from NCSA, and attending two years of college there, he went to the Juilliard School in New York City, where he earned his BM and MM degrees. His composition teachers included Vincent Persichetti and Hugo Weisgall. While attending the Juilliard School, Gates received the Lado Prize for string writing, and the Irving Berlin Teaching Fellowship for two consecutive years.

Keith Gates composed in many genres including symphonies, concerti and operas. His 100+ works are for band, wind ensemble, orchestra, and choir, as well as for various chamber ensembles and soloists. His second opera, Migle and the Bugs, has been performed in Siena, Italy, and at Alice Tully Hall in New York. He received commissions and grants to write the operas Tom Sawyer, The Hollow, Evangeline, and The Christmas Coin.

Keith Gates received many other commissions from individuals as well as high school, university, and military bands. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Louisiana Artist Fellowship, the Louisiana Music Teachers Association Commission Award, the Shearman Research Grant, the Fanfare Festival Composition Award, the National Flute Association Newly Published Music Award, and the Shearman Fine Arts Endowed Professorship (McNeese). He was named 1996 Artist of the Year by the Calcasieu Arts and Humanities Council.

In addition to composing, Gates enjoyed acting and singing. He performed the role of Mozart in Amadeus, Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, the pirate king in The Pirates of Penzance, and Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. As a pianist, he accompanied many student, faculty and opera workshop performances. He was also organist and choir director at Bethel Presbyterian Church, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, and Temple Sinai in Lake Charles. He is survived by his wife Christa, four children and two grandchildren.

A Pastoral Lament

for my friend, Keith Gates by John Wood

Sweet singing shepherd boy, why have you ceased
To make your songs, and who now tends your sheep?
Have you run off to fields more bright and blest
And left us here to weep?

We wished more time to hear your psalms.
They set so sweet upon our hearts.
Honey of hope and sorrow’s balms,
Those were the measures of your arts.

Our singing boy, he now has fled
The fields of grass and flesh to tend
His flocks where pains are shed
And music will not end.

• http://www.keithgates.com/