9/17/2015

AaronJayKernisLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical

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Aaron Jay Kernis
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Aaron Jay Kernis

Born: 1960
Nationality: American
Publisher: G. Schirmer
Photo Richard Bowditch
Winnerofthecoveted2002GrawemeyerAwardforMusicCompositionandoneofthe
youngestcomposersevertobeawardedthePulitzerPrize,AaronJayKernisisamong
themostesteemedmusicalfiguresofhisgeneration.Withhis"fearlessoriginality[and]
powerfulvoice"(TheNewYorkTimes),eachnewKernisworkiseagerlyawaitedby
audiencesandmusiciansalike,andheisoneoftoday'smostfrequentlyperformed
composers.Hismusic,fullofvarietyanddynamicenergy,isrichinlyricbeauty,poetic
imagery,andbrilliantinstrumentalcolor.
Hisworksfigureprominentlyonorchestral,chamber,andrecitalprogramsworldwideand
hasbeencommissionedbymanyofAmerica'sforemostperformers,includingsopranos
ReneFlemingandDawnUpshaw,violinistsJoshuaBell,PamelaFrank,NadjaSalerno
Sonnenberg,andJamesEhnes(fortheBBCProms),pianistChristopherO'Rileyand
guitaristSharonIsbin,andsuchmusicalinstitutionsastheNewYorkPhilharmonic,
PhiladelphiaOrchestra(fortheinaugurationofitsnewhomeattheKimmelCenter),Walt
DisneyCompany,RoseCenterforEarthandSpaceatNewYork'sAmericanMuseumof
NaturalHistory,RaviniaFestival(forJamesConlon'sinauguralseason),SanFrancisco
andSingaporeSymphonies,MinnesotaOrchestra,LincolnCenterGreatPerformers
Series,AmericanPublicRadioLosAngelesandSaintPaulChamberOrchestras,and
AspenMusicFestivalandprogramsfromPhiladelphiatoAmsterdam(Concertgebouw,
AmsterdamSinfonietta),SantaBarbaratoFrance(OrchestreNationaldeFrance)
throughoutEuropeandbeyond.
RecentandupcomingcommissionsincludenewconcertiforcellistJoshuaRomanandforviolistPaulNeubauer,worksfor
eighthblackbird,theSantaFeChamberMusicFestival,LaJollaChamberfest,andChambermusicNorthwestforDavidShifrin
andtheOrionQuartet,theSanAntonioSymphony,andhisthirdstringquartetfortheJasperQuartet.Pastseasonshave
includedconductingengagementswithmembersoftheSanFranciscoandMinnesotaOrchestras,theNewYork
Philharmonic,withmajorfestivalsinChicagoandPortlandandforthePascalRioultDanceCompany.
OneofAmerica'smosthonoredcomposers,KerniswasrecentlyinductedintotheAmerican
AcademyofArtsandLetters,andtheClassicalMusicHallofFame,andhasreceivedcountless
awardsandprizesthroughouthiscareer,includingthe2011NemmersAwardfrom
NorthwesternUniversity,the2002GrawemeyerAwardinMusicCompositionforthecelloand
orchestraversionofColoredField,the1998PulitzerPrizeforhisStringQuartetNo.2("musica
instrumentalis"),andGrammyAwardnominationsforbothAirandhisSecondSymphony.He
hasalsobeenawardedtheStoegerPrizefromtheChamberMusicSocietyofLincolnCenter,a
GuggenheimFellowship,theRomePrize,anNEAgrant,aBearnsPrize,andNewYork
FoundationfortheArtsAward.Hehasbeenamuchadmiredandfamiliarpresencein
Minnesota'sTwinCities:inSeptember1993,hewasappointedComposerinResidenceforthe
St.PaulChamberOrchestra,MinnesotaPublicRadio,andAmericanComposersForum,and
hereturnedinthefallof1998asNewMusicAdvisortotheMinnesotaOrchestra,apositionhe
heldtill2009.HewascofounderandDirectoroftheMinnesotaOrchestra'sComposerInstitute
for15years.KernisteachescompositionatYaleSchoolofMusic,apositionhe'soccupied
since2003.
HisworkshavebeenrecordedonNonesuch,NewAlbion,Koch,Naxos,VirginClassics,and
MusicinColor
Argo,Britain'sesteemedlabel,withwhichKernishadanexclusiverecordingcontract.
thematicworklist
PreviouslyissuedCDsincludeawidelyacclaimedCDwithHughWolffconductingtheCityof
BirminghamSymphonyOrchestra(SymphonyNo.2,InvisibleMosaicIII,andMusica
Celestis)itwasnominatedforaGrammyandwonFrance'sDiapasond'orpalmarsforBestContemporaryMusicDiscofthe
Year.OtherrecordingsincludeadiscofhisStringQuartetNo.1("musicacelestis")andthePulitzerPrizewinningString
QuartetNo.2("musicainstrumentalis")onArabesquewiththeLarkQuartet.OtherreleasesonArgofeaturedworksfor
violinistsPamelaFrankandJoshuaBellwithDavidZinmanandtheMinnesotaOrchestra,andhisDoubleConcertowith
guitaristSharonIsbin,violinistChoLiangLinandHughWolffleadingtheSaintPaulChamberOrchestra.Originallyreleased
onVirgin/EMIwashiscelloversionofColoredFieldandAir,createdfortheNorwegianvirtuosoTrulsMrkandthe
MinnesotaOrchestrawithEijiOue.SeveralofhisimportantworksrecordedonArgohavebeenrereleasedbyPhoenix,
includinghisSecondSymphony,MusicaCelestis,InvisibleMoasicIII,andSymphonyinWaveswithGerardSchwarzand
theNewYorkChamberSymphony.
RecentcriticallyacclaimedrecordingsincludethereleaseoforchestralworksbytheGrantParkFestivalOrchestraonCedille
Records.HisGoblinMarketwasreleased,withInvisibleMosaicII,ontheSignumlabelwithTheNewProfessionals,
RebeccaMillerconductorandMaryKingnarrator.UpcomingonNaxosin2014isadiscfeaturingpianistAndrewRusso,
violinistJamesEhnes,andtheAlbanySymphonywithDavidAlanMiller.

http://www.musicsalesclassical.com/composer/longbio/AaronJayKernis

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9/17/2015

AaronJayKernisLongBiographyMusicSalesClassical
KerniswasborninPhiladelphiaonJanuary15,1960.Hebeganhismusicalstudiesontheviolinatage12hebegan
teachinghimselfpianoand,thefollowingyear,composition.HecontinuedhisstudiesattheSanFranciscoConservatoryof
Music,andManhattanandYaleSchoolsofMusic,workingwithcomposersasdiverseasJohnAdams,CharlesWuorinenand
JacobDruckman.Kernisfirstcametonationalattentionin1982withtheacclaimedpremiereofhisfirstorchestralwork,
DreamoftheMorningSky,bytheNewYorkPhilharmonicatitsHorizonsFestival.Kernis'smusicispublishedbyAssociated
MusicPublishersandbyAJKMusicadministeredbyAssociatedMusicPublishers.
September2014

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