“Haunting ,rhythmically agile” (Telegraph)
“Shifts between states of sublime mysticism and catastrophic wildness” (The New York Times)

Jonathan Keren, composer, arranger and violinist is an award-winner from the Koussevitzky Foundation at the Library of Congress (2007), a recipient of ASCAP’s Young Composers’ Award prize (2004) and Scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation in violin and composition between 1997-2003. He is a recent graduate with a Master’s degree in composition from The Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Milton Babbit and Samuel Adler. Mr. Keren's works have been performed in Denmark, England, Germany, Spain, Korea, Japan, Russia; at Carnegie’s Weill Hall; Rose Theatre at Jazz in Lincoln Center and Alice Tully Hall in New York; the Louvre Museum in Paris; The Berlin Philharmony Hall; The Tel-Aviv Museum, Jerusalem Music Center, Henry Crown Hall and the Tel-Aviv Opera House in his native Israel. His music has been performed by such artists as cellist Lynn Harrell, The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Tel-Aviv Trio, The New Juilliard Ensemble, Kaprisma Ensemble, pianist David Greilsammer and the Fountain Chamber Music Society, of which he is the Composer in Residence since 2002. In 2003, the New Juilliard Ensemble commissioned and performed his Cello Concerto at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, and in 2004 he represented Israel in the ACL (Asian Composers League) young composers’ competition in Tokyo, Japan. In 2005 Keren was chosen to compose the mandatory contemporary pieces for the Spring Competition in Israel in the wind category. Other commissions have included the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., the 92nd Street Y in New York, the Jerusalem Music Center, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, pianist David Greilsammer, The Israeli Chamber Project, the Israeli embassy in Denmark and the prestigious Keshet-Eilon violin mastercourse. A recording of Keren's most recent piano work has been released this summer on a commercial award-winning C.D. with the European label Naïve.

Jonathan began his studies as a violinist with Mr. Chaim Taub. As a violinist he participated in music festivals such as the Rolands-eck chamber music festival in Germany, the Brezice Baroque Festival in Slovenia and the Spring Festival for contemporary music in Saint Petersburg. Mr. Keren served for three years in the Israeli Army as a member of the “outstanding musicians” unit. During the course of his military service he arranged more than 50 pieces for chamber and vocal ensembles, all of which were performed by military bands and the Israel Defense Force Education Corps Orchestra, as well as in concert halls. Following his service he studied composition with Mr. Reuben Serroussi, and with Dr. Samuel Adler at the Juilliard School.

Mr. Keren is currently living in New York, where he performs with a number of classical, early music and folk music groups, and is a co-founder of La Mela Di Newton Baroque Trio. As a violinist he has performed in various venues, among them Alice Tully Hall and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Opera House in Tel-Aviv and Teatro Comunale Modena in Italy.

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