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David DiChiera papers

 Collection
Identifier: OU-SC-DICHIERA

Scope and Contents note

The David DiChiera Papers have been arranged in eleven series: Biography, Education, Correspondence, Research, Events, Press Files, Works, Composing ideas, Photographs, Audiovisual, and Realia. The papers came largely unorganized except for specific works and composing ideas. Whenever possible, original folder labels have been kept. Occasional notes written by the daughters of DiChiera, explaining the context or significance of specific items, have been preserved.

The Biographical Files contain curriculum vitaes, drafts of biographical notes about David Dichiera at various points in his career, award and honors documentation, as well as his employment record at Oakland University.

The Education series documents David DiChiera's high school and university education. It includes class notes, letters and official documents, graded assignments, and scores. A folder for concerts and performances includes early recitals for Miss Price before college.

The Correspondence series includes letters to and by David and Karen DiChiera organized by period and sender. The letters document the DiChiera’s activities at OU, including Overture to Opera and the Meadow Brook Music Festival. Letters sent by David and Karen DiChiera to friends and colleagues in 1969, during DiChiera’s sabbatical from OU, shed some light onto their personal and professional lives during that time. Letters by Valerie Archibald, a friend and violinist from California who he brought to OU to perform in June 1963, are included. They contain comments about what DiChiera told her in letters (that are not included) from 1959 to 1964, including his move to OU in 1962.

The Research files consist of manuscript notes, typescripts, photocopies, and miscellaneous materials used by DiChiera to research various topics for lectures, events, or publications.

The Events series contains programs and mailings about Overture to Opera and other programs DiChiera was involved in while at OU. One exception is a folder of materials pertaining to OU's Division of Continuing Education, which belonged to Karen Vanderkloot and contains brochures an documents about events organized by the division.

The Press Files include a selection of newspaper and magazine articles about DiChiera.

The Works series contains numerous scores of all of David DiChiera’s compositions, including original manuscripts, revisions, and different orchestrations. Occasionally, letters, programs, reviews, and other documents accompany the scores.

The Composing Ideas series groups folders of musical fragments, drafts, and other creative notes.

The Photograph series includes a portrait of David DiChiera and several high school graduation photos. The Audiovisual series has recordings of performances of DiChiera's compositions and opera events.

The Realia series includes a plaque, posters and oversize photographs.

Dates

  • 1961 - 2017

Access and Use note

The papers of David Dichiera are open for research.

Copyright

Copyright of David DiChiera's works has not been transferred to Oakland University. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Biographical note

After receiving a PhD in musicology from the University of California, Los Angeles, David DiChiera joined Oakland University in 1962 as an assistant professor of music to help develop the music department of the young institution. From 1963 to 1965, he also held the post of assistant dean for Continuing Education in the Arts at Oakland University and was thereafter elected Chair of the Department of Music (1965-1972). At OU DiChiera developed the music curriculum and cultural program and participated in both the Meadow Brook Music Festival and the Meadow Brook Theatre.

He also started to think of ways to develop opera offerings, expand audiences, and encourage diversity on the stage and in the audience in the Detroit area. In 1963 he took over Overture to Opera, the education program of the Detroit Grand Opera Association. This laid the foundation for him to found the Michigan Opera Theatre in 1971 (the name was officially changed from Overture to Opera to MOT in 1973).

DiChiera married Karen VanderKloot in 1965, who was also passionate about arts education. Together they had two daughters, Lisa and Cristina.

While at OU, DiChiera also composed a number of original pieces: Lament for Two Pianos (1963), Fantasy for Violin and Piano (1963), Four Sonnets (1964-65), and Black Beads (1964-1965) all premiered at OU. Four Sonnets, set to verses written by poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, was very successful. In 1978, soprano Carmen Balthrop performed the work at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The version for soprano and orchestra (orchestrated by Steven Mercurio) had its world premiere in 1998.

After 1972, DiChiera left OU to devote all his time as general and artistic director of the Michigan Opera Theatre. Later on, he returned to composing with Cyrano, an opera that premiered at the Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit in 2007.

DiChiera is also known for encouraging diversity, both on stage and in the audience. He received critical acclaim and numerous awards and honors for his work at the Michigan Opera Theatre and his own compositions.

Extent

10 Linear Feet (6 full-size cartons; 2 flat boxes; folders.)

Language of Materials

English

Summary

Papers of David DiChiera (1935-2018), an award-winning professor, composer, and founder of the Michigan Opera Theater. As a faculty member at Oakland University’s music department from 1962 to 1972 he developed the university’s music curriculum and cultural programming. In an effort to make opera accessible to a large Michigan public he founded the Michigan Opera Theatre in 1971 and remained its director until 2017.

Acquisition

Papers donated by Lisa and Cristina DiChiera, August 8, 2019 and July 17, 2020.

Processing

Processed by Dominique Daniel, Aug-Sep 2019; accruals 2021.

Author
Dominique Daniel
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Oakland University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Kresge Library
100 Library Drive
Rochester MI 48309 USA