Artist • Composer • Lyricist • Publisher
Kevin McCarter is a composer of concert music and is a church organist. He has set Bible texts and hymn poems to music for voice and organ. His works for solo organ include variations on hymn tunes and pieces that freely develop fresh melodies and rhythms.
McCarter’s compositions for chamber ensembles, orchestra, chorus, and voice have been performed on programs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Two works, Opening Ideas for string orchestra and Prelude and Excursion for orchestral brass, are included in ERM Media’s CD series Masterworks of the New Era.
Says Kevin, “When writing music for a text, I often begin by probing its meaning. With Bible verses I may consult commentaries and compare several translations to discover the range of meanings and implications in the original Hebrew or Greek words. With poems I may read other selections by the same author or writings by other authors that tie in to the main ideas of the poem. Then I turn to creating the music, guided by words that have found a home and an active life in my thought.”