Maillist
FOCUS ON: Derek Keller
- Official Website >>
- Label: Tzadik >>
- Genre: Avant Garde/Experimental
Derek Keller is an award-winning composer and guitarist. His music investigates the coexistence, intermingling and hybridity between avant-garde and popular music.
Aside from his own Derek Keller Ensemble, Keller performs with Colin McAllister challenging contemporary music by Steve Reich, Vinko Globokar and Franco Donatoni. In 2000, he and Colin MacAllister, his duo partner, presented the North American premiere of Helmut Lachenmanns Salut fur Caudwell (1977). Recently has been also performing with the Sacramento-based jazz fusion ensemble, Kairos.
Keller currently teaches music at American River College, Sacramento, California. He is also the curator for the St. Pauls Episcopal Church Music Series, focusing on highlighting original avant-garde and improvisational music in Sacramento. This developing series features both musicians from the local and national music scenes. (Please see contact page for booking information.)
Keller has received commissions from Fondation Royaumont, RedFishBlueFish, NOISE, Cantoria Choir at Truman State University, Cappella Gloriana, Athens Master Chorale and Mark Menzies. Keller has performed in master classes with Christopher Parkening. His music has been performed in the U.S., Mexico, France, Germany and Brazil.
He studied under the direction of Roger Reynolds at the University of Caifornia at San Diego, where he earned a Ph.D. in 2004. He has also studied composition with Anthony Davis, Chaya Czernowin, Rand Steiger, George Crumb, Jean-Luc Hervé, Brian Ferneyhough, David Lang, and Charles Wuorinen. Keller's guitar mentor is John Sutherland of Atlanta.
