Mihkel Kerem

January 23, 1981, Tallinn
Member of the Estonian Composers' Union since 2007

Composer, violinist, and conductor Mihkel Kerem is one of the most original and sought-after musicians of his generation. He currently works as the associate concertmaster of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kerem’s extensive body of work includes eight symphonies, ten string quartets, numerous concertos and orchestral pieces, as well as several solo and chamber music works. His award-winning composition “1984”, based on George Orwell’s novel, has been performed about ten times and adapted into two films in different languages.

Mihkel Kerem was composer-in-residence at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany (2001) and at the Aurora Chamber Music Festival in Sweden (2009). His works have been performed by the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Neeme Järvi, the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Oulu Sinfonia, Joensuu City Orchestra, Camerata Nordica, and the Chilingirian String Quartet.

Robert Maxham: “Anyone who believes that traditional tonality can no longer express anything beyond worn-out clichés should listen to Kerem’s music.” (Fanfare, 2013/3–4)

In 2024, Mihkel Kerem received the annual prize of the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Sound Art Endowment.

Mihkel Kerem’s website: http://mihkelkerem.com/

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