Role

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Composer

Birth

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March 14, 1972 in Livingston, NJ

 

Keeril Makan is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1972 in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Makan began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and bass. He attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied composition with Randolph Coleman and Richard Hoffmann. After completing his undergraduate studies, Makan went on to earn a master's degree in composition from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied with Andrew Imbrie and Jorge Liderman. He then earned a doctorate in composition from the Stanford University, where he studied with Brian Ferneyhough and Jonathan Harvey. Makan's music is known for its intricate textures, unconventional instrumentation, and use of extended techniques. He often draws inspiration from the natural world, as well as from literature and visual art. His compositions have been performed by leading ensembles and soloists around the world, including the Kronos Quartet, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and the International Contemporary Ensemble. One of Makan's most notable works is "Letting Time Circle Through Us," a piece for string quartet and electronics that was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet in 2006. The piece explores the concept of time and features a complex interplay between the live performers and the electronic sounds. The work has been praised for its innovative use of technology and its emotional depth. Another notable work by Makan is "Afterglow," a piece for chamber ensemble that was commissioned by the Bang on a Can All-Stars in 2011. The piece features a unique instrumentation that includes electric guitar, bass, clarinet, cello, and percussion. The work is characterized by its intricate rhythms and shifting textures, and has been described as "a sonic kaleidoscope of shifting colors and moods." Makan has also composed several works for orchestra, including "Dream Lightly," which was commissioned by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project in 2014. The piece features a large orchestra and explores the idea of dreaming and the subconscious. The work has been praised for its lush orchestration and its evocative imagery. In addition to his work as a composer, Makan is also a professor of music at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Fromm Foundation Commission. His music continues to be performed and recorded by leading ensembles and soloists around the world, and he remains a prominent figure in the contemporary classical music scene.

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