Bernhard Gander

In view of his aesthetics, the Austrian composer Bernhard Gander eludes being clearly attributed to certain genres. He explodes the boundaries of categories and creates works through the connection of new music and heavy metal that have a huge plasticity and expressive power on formal, tonal, gestural, and energetic levels. Gander’s works have been performed at, among other venues, Wiener Konzerthaus; Wiener Festwochen; steirischer herbst; Klangspuren Schwaz; Transart Bozen; Donaueschinger Musiktage; Wien Modern; Musica Strasbourg; Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik; and the Munich Biennale. He was awarded the music grant for composers from the City of Vienna in 2004; the Erste Bank Composer Award in 2005; the SKE Publicity Prize in 2009; and he received the Austrian Federal Grant for composers. For “melting pot”, which had its world premiere at the Wiener Festwochen in 2012, Bernhard Gander received the Ernst Křenek Award.
Gander (b. 1969) studied piano, music composition, and conducting at the Tyrolean State Conservatory, and he completed his studies at the studio for electronic music UPIC in Paris; the Foundation Schweizerisches Zentrum für Computermusik in Zurich; and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (among others, under Beat Furrer). He lives in Vienna.