Keeril is a young American composer who is making a splash. His music compells you to listen because he focuses on basic elements of sound and transforms them slowly in ways that captivate the ear and mind.
Texture is very important in his work, and he uses gritty and scratchy sounds borrowed from heavy metal, as well as intricate, busy patterns that are reminiscent of bee hives.
Always masterfully controlled, his pieces have a way of evolving logically while still affording surprises.
I just commissioned a 10 minute piece from Keeril for Solo Piano for 2007.
Recent Press
-
"Memorably explosive"
- International Herald Tribune -
"A fascinating wedding of intellect and expressivity"
- Newsday -
"Arresting"
- The New York Times
Performers of Keeril's Music
- The Kronos Quartet
- Kronos is one of the most prolific and influential string quartets in the world.
- Bang on a Can All-Stars
- A New York City-based contemporary classical music ensemble.
- The Del Sol String Quartet
- An engaging young quartet specializing in new music and based in San Francisco.
- The New York New Music Ensemble
- "...player for player, perhaps the best new music group in the country."
The New York Times - The Paul Dresher Electroacoustic Band
- Dresher commissioned a work from Keeril in 2001.
Keeril's upcoming events
- July 27 & 28, 2006
- "Violent Momentum" for clarinets, violas, and CD
LEVYdance
WestWave Dance Festival
Program #7
Project Artaud Theater, San Francisco, CA - September 23, 2006
- New Work for violin, viola, and chamber orchestra
Sinfonia da Camera, Ian Hobson, conductor
Graeme Jennings, violin, Masumi Per Rostad, viola
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL - October 2006
- LEVYdance tours Lithuania with "Violent Momentum"
Gotta love the photo. - November 7, 2006
- "Target" for soprano, clarinet, percussion, violin, and cello
EAR Unit with Laurie Rubin
REDCAT, Los Angeles, CA - October 2007
- New work for string quartet and CD
LEVYdance and Kronos Quartet
Eugene & Elinor Friend Center for the Arts
The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
Coming Soon on CD
- Husk
- "Husk" for flute, oboe, and harp will be released on an upcoming CD by flutist
Jonathan Keeble. - Voice within Voice
- "Voice within Voice" for baritone saxophone will be released on Brian Sacawa's
debut CD, "American Voices" on Innova.
Keeril's Recent Commissions
- Meet the Composer
- A collaboration with choreographer Benjamin Levy (2004)
- The Weill Music Institute
- Carnegie Hall commissioned "Target," (2004)
- The Hewlett Foundation
- The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation commissioned "Tear" (2003)
- The Fromm Music Foundation
- This Foundation at Harvard commissioned "The Noise between Thoughts" (2003)
Keeril's Studies
- PhD from UC Berkeley, 2004
- Studied with Philippe Leroux in Paris, 2002-2004
- Fulbright Grantee at the Sibelius Academy in Finland, 2000-01
- Master's from UC Berkeley, 1997
- Bachelor's of Music and Religion at Oberlin, 1994
Related Links
- Brian Sacawa's Blog
- The blog of the saxophonist with whom Keeril regularly collaborates.
- Innova Records
- "Innova is geared towards work that is unlikely to find a home in the mainstream record industry. We focus on world class music, regardless of its genre (or lack of one), that commercial labels overlook."
- Laurie Rubin, mezzo-soprano
- Laurie has been a fierce advocate of Keeril's piece "Target" that she premiered at Carnegie Hall recently.
- Going against the Gray
- A thought-provoking article Keeril wrote for NewMusicBox.org.
Listen to his music...
- ...on Keeril's Official Website
- Click on music, then the names of pieces to listen.
by IvanCDG
Ivan is an American classical pianist living in Paris. Ivan est un jeune pianiste classique qui habite Paris. more »
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