Kevin Keller (born April 27, 1967) is an American composer and recording artist known primarily for "ambient chamber music", a style that combines live instruments with electronic effects.

Biography

Starting out as a guitarist in his teen years, Keller turned to the piano while attending Jesuit High School, inspired by the music of

Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

Brian Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno (, born 15 May 1948), also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, and activist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambien ...

, and

Harold Budd Harold Montgomory Budd (May 24, 1936December 8, 2020) was an American music composer and poet. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Mojave Desert, he became a respected composer in the minimal music and avant-garde scene of Southern California ...

. As a composition student, Keller composed ballet scores and chamber music, including a string quartet premiered by the

Kronos Quartet The Kronos Quartet is an American string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary classical musi ...

at the 1986 Festival of New American Music. Keller later studied Film Scoring at

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

under the tutelage of

Pinar Toprak Pinar Toprak (born 18 October 1980) is a Turkish-born American composer, conductor, and musician, who specializes in creating thematic scores. Early life and education Toprak was born and grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. Her father was an account ...

. Keller's first solo recording "The Mask of Memory" (1994) came to the attention of radio producer Stephen Hill, who included several tracks on a

Hearts of Space ''Hearts of Space'' is an American weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature"When you listen to space and ambient music you are connecting with a tradition of contemplative sound experience whose roots are an ...

program titled "Digital Planet" in 1995. This was followed by a Living Room Concert and feature on Echoes, whose host

John Diliberto ''Echoes'' is a daily two-hour music radio program hosted by John Diliberto featuring a soundscape of ambient music, ambient, Space music, space, electronica, and new-age music. The program features in-depth artist interviews and intimate "livi ...

named Keller's second CD "Intermezzo" as one of the Top 25 records of 1996. In total, Keller has released 13 full-length recordings and several EPs and compilations, working with musicians such as cellist David Darling, guitarist Jeff Pearce and Keller's own chamber ensemble of strings, woodwinds, percussion, and piano. Keller currently resides in New York City, where he composes music for choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Elisa Monte, Amy Marshall, and Ray Sullivan. Keller's works are administered by BMI. His 2012 album "The Day I Met Myself" was produced by

Russel Walder Russel Walder (born February 9, 1959) is an American jazz oboist and the founder of Nomad Soul Records. Biography Russel Walder was born and raised in Deerfield, Illinois. Following his graduation from Deerfield High School, he briefly attended ...

; the album won the ZMR Music Award fo
Best Neo-Classical Album of 2012
Keller and Walder teamed up again in 2015 for their follow-up album "La Strada", which also won the ZMR Music Award for Best Neo-Classical Album of 2015. Keller's work "A Star in a Stoneboat" (from his album "Across the Sky") was featured on Season 13, Episode 9 of

So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...

, in a piece choreographed by

Tyce Diorio Tyce Diorio (born August 22, 1970) is an American dancer and choreographer. He is best known for his work as a choreographer and guest judge on the Fox television series ''So You Think You Can Dance''. He has choreographed and performed with Ja ...

. Keller's 2021 album "Shimmer" was named CD of the Month for October 2021 on the syndicated radio program Echoes.

Albums

* The Mask of Memory (1994) * Intermezzo (1996) * Pendulum (1999) * Across the Sky (2002) * Gathering Leaves (2005) * Santiago's Dream (2006) * In Absentia (2009) * The Day I Met Myself (2012) * Nocturnes (2013) * La Strada (2015) * Ice Worlds (2019) * The Front Porch of Heaven (2020) * Shimmer (2021) * Evensong (2023)

References

External links

Official web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keller, Kevin 1967 births Living people American male classical composers 20th-century American classical composers 21st-century American classical composers American male classical pianists American male pianists American ambient musicians 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American classical pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Jesuit High School (Carmichael) alumni

Biography

Albums

See also

References

External links