Matthew Kaner is a composer based in London. His works have been performed by many of the UK’s leading soloists, ensembles, and orchestras, including at the BBC Proms in 2022, where his setting of Simon Armitage’s translation of the medieval poem Pearl for orchestra, chorus and solo baritone was praised as “spine-tingling… sparking electricity” (Guardian) and “a fascinating response to this transcendental text” (Bachtrack).
News and Upcoming Events
Violin Concerto Commission and Premiere
Matthew is thrilled to have been co-commissioned by the Amarillo Symphony and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to compose a new violin concerto for his regular collaborator, the outstanding violinist Benjamin Baker. The world premiere will take place in Amarillo, Texas, conducted by George Jackson on 17th and 18th January 2025.
Matthew joins James Joslin Music Management
Matthew is delighted to be represented exclusively worldwide by James Joslin Music Management from July 2024. James brings a wealth of industry experience having worked previously at Schott Music and Edition Peters to support a range of renowned world-leading composers. Click here to view the announcement and find out more.
New EP – Out Now!
Matthew’s new work for solo oboe (Flight Studies: The Snowy Owl) was released on 8 June 2023, performed by oboist Anna Durance, alongside a new work by Héloïse Werner. The piece is part of an ongoing cycle of works for solo woodwind instruments inspired by the flight patterns of different birds. Stream or download it here.
Debut Album Reviews
Matthew’s debut album is out now on Delphian Records. Reviewed as “highly imaginative and truly picturesque music” (The Scotsman 5*), revealing “a composer deftly able to draw the listener into his far-reaching imaginative world” (BBC Music Magazine 5*), with a “tangible sense of the well-made” (Gramophone Magazine), the recording features performances by leading musicians Guy Johnston, Mark Simpson, Benjamin Baker, Daniel Lebhardt and the Goldfield Ensemble. Click this link to purchase or stream your copy.
The recording is supported by the PRS Foundation Composers’ Fund in partnership with Jerwood Arts, alongside support from the RVW Trust, Nicholas Boas Charitable Trusts and several generous individual donors.
