Adress at symposium. Graz Oct. 1980

EK. was born Aug 23, 1900: HisEK's family stems from what is now Tchecheslovakia, but since his father, an officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, was stationed in Vienna, EK was born there on Aug 28, 1900 and grew up in Vienna. He recieved his education at the humanistic high school and studied philosophy and art history at the U of Vienna. Since 1916 he studied composition at the with Franz Schreker af the Vienna Acad. of Music and transferred to Berlin when his teacher was called there as dirctor of the Academy of Music. From 1923 to 1925 E.K lived on a scholarship in Switzerland. He traveled to Paris where he met Stravinsky and the young French composers, From 1925 to 1927 he was assistant to the director of the opera house in Kassel, Germany where he composed his opera Jonny spielt auf. His musical style had changed. He employed features of earlier, romantic styles periods and American jazzy elements of the contemporary American entertainment music. of the In 1927 he returned to Vienna and became closely acquainted with the circle of Arnold Schoenbg and his disciples. In 1930 he adopted the twelve-tone technique. and His first work in this style was his most important operatic work, the historic opera Charles V. When in 1933 Hitler came to power in Germany and began to threaten Austria's independence, EK became very articulate in denouncing the philosophy and politics of the Nazis. His music was prohibited in Germany and his name appeard on their black lists. In 1937 EK visited the USA for the first time as a member of an Austrian opera group for which he had adapted a Monte- verdi opera. When the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938, he did not return there, but settled in America permanently. He became a USA citizen in 1945. He was professor of music at Vassar College from 1939 to 1942, at Hamline U. St. Paul MN from 1942 to 1947, He was and a guest teacher at summer sessions at the U. of Michigan, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Hawaii, at Black Mountain College, and for one semester each at Chicago Musical Collage, Brandeis U. and Peabody Institute. Since 1950 he has been traveling to Europe nearly every year for varying periods of time, conducting his own orchestral und operatic works at broadcasting, TV stations and opera houses. Since 1955 he has become active in the field of electronic music, an interest that he is pursuing in his own studio in California. Since 1930 K. has developed a lively litarary activity; he has published 14 books, both in German & English.