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 infl ...

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, and

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

. 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 almost 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary class ...

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 music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...

under the tutelage of

Pinar Toprak Pinar Toprak (born 18 October 1980) is a Turkish-American composer for film, television and video games. She is most well known for composing the score to the hit Marvel movie '' Captain Marvel'' (2019). She has won three International Film Mu ...

. 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 anc ...

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

Echoes Echoes may refer to: * Echo (phenomenon) Film and television * ''Echoes'' (2014 film), an American supernatural horror film * ''Echoes'' (miniseries), a 2022 Netflix original drama series * "Echoes" (''Fear Itself''), an episode of ''Fear Itse ...

, whose host

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

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; 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 J ...

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

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)

References

External links

Official web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keller, Kevin 1967 births Living people American male classical composers American classical composers 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers American classical pianists Male classical pianists American male pianists Ambient musicians 21st-century American composers 20th-century American composers 20th-century American pianists 21st-century classical pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists

Biography

Albums

See also

References

External links