Secretary Michael

Life

Born:

Died:

Biography

Secretary Michael (the old pen-name of Michael Laschober) is a St. Louis peace activist with a large catalog of choral compositions that have been put into the public domain and are free to download [1]

Among his major works:

• "Secular Hymnal" [2] - a heavily downloaded collection of 144 secular hymns in 2 versions: "full SATB choir" or "Solo";
• "Choral Dialectics" [3] - each "Dialectic" is a rational argument, battled-out chorally in 4 short movements;
• "Little Machines" [4] - a collection of 28 very short mechanical works for unaccompanied mixed chorus;
• "Joe Puma - Wild Choir Music" [5] - a collection of 36 secular shape-note hymns;
• "Candelescence" [6] - an operetta about a young woman who sets out to be a teacher in a conflict zone (for choirs, soloists, and piano)
• "Aren't We the Lucky Ones" [7] - a story about a commune of science students who find a way to thrive despite an awareness of determinism; it's a background story to the opera "Candelescence";

BIO: A graduate of the UMKC Conservatory of Music, Secretary Michael has been an elementary school teacher (teaching Science and Music in both public and private schools), a private piano teacher, the creator of "Junkyard School" (a popular assortment of afterschool programs), a choir director (Oakland Children's Chorus, St. Louis Peace Choir), a maker of weather charts (Metropolitan Weather Charts), a facilitator of science activities (St. Louis Nature Students) [8] and a longtime St. Louis concert piano tuner/technician (Academy Piano Service).

Today Michael is a volunteer leader of Botany Walks for St. Louis teachers [9], a volunteer counselor on Discord's "Determinists Support Group" for those troubled by determinism, and a composer of choral works that celebrate peace and egalitarianism [10].

See also: Secretary Michael's editor page.

List of choral works

• Balance (Choral Dialectic)
• Change (Choral Dialectic)
• Clean Water (Choral Dialectic)
• Jo Puma (Secular Shape-note Hymns)
• Peace Songs for Choir
• Secular Hymnal

 
Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

External links

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