OU.SC.DICHIERA

Summary Information

Repository
Oakland University Archives and Special Collections
Title
David DiChiera papers
ID
OU.SC.DICHIERA
Date
1961-2017
Extent
9.0 Linear feet
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Item, folder title, box no., David DiChiera papers, Oakland University Archives

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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.

In the 1970s, 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.

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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.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Oakland University Archives and Special Collections

Kresge Library
100 Library Drive
Rochester, MI, 48309

Revision Description

 Reprocessed collection after July 17 accrual, which was larger than original gift. 6/8/2021

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.

Acquisition

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

Processing

Processed by Dominique Daniel, Aug-Sep 2019

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Collection Inventory

Biography 

Box

Miscellaneous materials 

1

Address books 

6

O.U. Employment 

1

Awards - Honors 

1

Awards - Honors - Matilda Award 2016 

1

Awards - Honors - Honorary Degrees   5 folders.

1

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Education 

Box

Canoga Park High School 1951-1952 

1

Miscellaneous documents 

1

PhD, UCLA 

1

PhD dissertation draft 

1

PhD dissertation: The Life and Operas of Gian Francesco di Majo July 1962 

1
Oversize

PhD dissertation: The Life and Operas of of Gian Francesco di Majo: Musical Examples July 1962 

1
Box

Fraternities 1953-1958 

1

Concerts and performances 1949-1951 

1

UCLA - Music courses materials   15 folders

1-2

UCLA - Music courses - Acoustics 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Advanced Harmony 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Aesthetics 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Cadence in Instrumental Music Before 1600 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Orchestration 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Counterpoint and Orchestration 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Ethnomusicology 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Music 370 

2

UCLA - Music courses - Orchestration (2) 

2

UCLA - Education courses   2 folders

2

UCLA - Other 

2

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Correspondence 

Box
3

Correspondence 1944-1961, n.d. 

Valerie Archibald 1959-1964 

O.U. - 1962-1973 

David & Karen DiChiera letters 1969 

O.U. 1976-2017  (Bulk, 2015)

Correspondence, Misc. 1979-2005 

Invitations 

Congratulations 1967-1978 

Congratulations 1980-1986, 2006 

Dorothy Ellis Hopper - piece dedicated to David DiChiera in memory of his brother Albert 

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Research notes 

Box
3

Research Notes, Misc. 

Baroque lecture (1965) 

American Music lecture 

Teaching Materials 

Rinaldo di Capua 

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Events 

Box
3

Continuing Education at OU, Vanderkloot 1960-1964 

WQRS 

Overture to Opera 

Overture to Opera - 1970 

Overture to Opera - 1971 

Oakland University - programs 

Panels and Symposia 2006 

Di Stefano Competition 2000-2001 

Miscellaneous   2 folders.

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Press files 

Box
3
Box

Newspaper clippings - Magazine articles   3 folders.

Oversize

Michigan Opera Theatre press files 1988-1996 

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Works 

Box

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra 1958 

Scope and Contents note

Master's Thesis in Composition, UCLA

3

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra - Masters for parts 1958 

3

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra - Parts 1958 

3-4

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra - Score and Piano Solo part returned following concert March 25, 1966 

4

Sacred Cantata 1959 

4

Sacred Cantata - oversize scores   2 items.

General note

Created in 1957

4

Sacred Cantata - masters 

4

Fantasy for Violin & Piano 1963   2 folders

4

Fantasy for Violin - Oversize, hand annotated 1963 

4

Four Sonnets - Letters 1995-1998   2 folders.

4

Four Sonnets - Miscellaneous 1998 

4

Four Sonnets - Reviews 1997 

4

Four Sonnets - Madison Symphony Orchestra 1998 

4

Four Sonnets - Programs   3 folderss

4

Four Sonnets - Score 1965 

4

Black Beads 1965 

4

Rumpelstiltskin 1973   3 folders

4

I Being born a woman - David DiChiera/Steven Mercurio - oversize score 

General note

Part of Four Sonnets, premiered 1964-1965

7

Time does not bring relief - David DiChiera/Steven Mercurio - oversize score 

General note

Part of Four Sonnets, premiered 1964-1965

7

Time does not bring relief - loose leaf score with hand annotations 01/25/1996 

General note

Part of Four Sonnets, premiered 1964-1965

7

What lips my lips have kissed - David DiChiera/Steven Mercurio 

General note

Part of Four Sonnets, premiered 1964-1965

3

Loving you less than life - David DiChiera/Steven Mercurio - oversize score 

General note

Part of Four Sonnets, premiered 1964-1965

3

Cyrano - Notes - 2005 

7

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score - pre-publication 2007 

5

Cyrano - copyright 2007 

5

Cyrano - Oversize score - Prelude - Act.1 Scene 1 - August 14, 2006 

7

Cyrano - World Premiere Program - Michigan Opera Theatre Oct. 13-28, 2007   2 copies.

5

Cyrano de Bergerac - score - Opera Pacific Workshop Summer 2004 

5

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score May 30, 2007   2 copies.

5

Cyrano - Oversize full score - 2007   Includes loose inserts.

8

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score - revised/Oct. 2007   2 copies.

5

Cyrano - Oversize full score/revised Oct. 2007 

8

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score - revised/Jan. 2011 

5

Cyrano - Oversize full score/revised Jan. 2011 

7

Cyrano - Oversize score - Prelude - April 21, 2006 2011 

7

Cyrano - Oversize full score - Revised January 2011 

8

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score - revised/Jan. 2012 

5

Cyrano - Piano/vocal score - revised/Mar. 2017 

5

Souvenir d'arras - scores - cello - violin - complete 2009 

5

Souvenir d'Arras - Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano - publ. 2017 

5

Psalm 13 2015 

5

Letter to Roxane - score 2017 

5

Letter to Sarah - score 2015   2 folders.

5
Oversize

Oversize scores - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra 

1

Oversize scores - I Being born a woman 

1

Oversize scores - Time does not bring relief 

1

Oversize scores - What lips my lips have kissed 

1

Oversize scores - Loving you less than life 

1
Box

Publications 

Scope and Contents note

Directory of Michigan Orchestral Composers (Feb. 1967); Preface, in "Perspectives: Creating and Producing Contemporary Opera and Musical Theater" (1983); Music review, Madame Butterfly English Version by John Gutman, in Notes magazine (Summer 1964)

5

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Composing ideas 

Box
6

Miscellaneous documents 

Piano 

Vocal 

Castrato Opera 

Sketches for complete pieces 

Hats 

Chamber Ensemble 

Once in a Dream 

Very early compositions 

Romanio 

Song of Separation 

Preludes for Piano 

Dark of the Moon 

Miscellaneous incomplete fragments   4 folders

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Photographs 

Box
6
Box

Early years 

6
Oversize

Birthday scrapbook 2005 

1

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Audiovisual 

Box
5

Cyrano: An Opera by David DiChiera (world Premiere by Michigan Opera Theatre) 2007   3 CDs

Cyrano, by David DiChiera (promotional Michigan Opera Theatre Archival Video)   3 DVDs

Letters & Fantasies by David DiChiera 2017   1 CD

Scope and Contents note

Includes Four Sonnets (1964-65), Ballade (2008), Black Beads (1969), Fantasy (1963), Letter to Sarah (2015), Letter to Roxane (2017)

2003-2004 Opera and Dance Season Preview 2003 

2005-2006 Opera and Dance Season Preview 2005 

2006-2007 Opera and Dance Season Preview 2006 

2007-2008 Opera and Dance Season Preview 2007 

2008-2009 Opera and Dance Season Preview 2008 

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Realia 

Box

State of Michigan - Senate Concurrent Resolution No.815 - MOT and in Praise of Dr. David DiChiera   oversize

7

Who's Who Certificate [framed] 1978-1979 

5

OU plaque in recorgnition of 10 years of service 1973 

5

Dearborn Symphony Orchestra - featuring David DiChiera - "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" - oversize event poster 1965-1966 

7

South Oakland Symphony Orchestra Concert poster Feburary 16 [no year] 

7

An Evening of Baroque Opera poster May 13, 1965 

7

Oakland University Concert poster January 24 [no year] 

7

Detroit Free Press - Special supplement - DiChiera article Aug. 21, 1966 

7
Map-case Drawer

Oakland University C.E.L. Series - Miss Valerie Archibald - Poster June 28, 1963 

1 E

David DiChiera - Photographed by Glenn Triest at Detroit Opera House July 19, 2005 - Poster on foamboard 

1 E

David DiChiera - Black & white image - Poster on foamboard n.d. 

1 E

David DiChiera - 80th Birthday - Color image on foam posterboard n.d. 

1 E
Box

Detroit City Council Testimonial Resolution: Michigan Opera Theater Porgy and Bess 1982 

7

Miscellaneous books and published scores 

6

Programs 

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