Dr. Karl Jenkins OBE B.Mus FRAM, educated at Gowerton Grammar School, Cardiff University and the Royal Academy of Music, London, is one of the most prolific and performed composers in the world today. The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace alone has been performed nearly four hundred times in recent years while his recorded output has attained seventeen gold or platinum disc awards.
Classically trained, but drawing on a diverse range of global influences, his style and integrity has transcended musical boundaries encompassing jazz-rock with Soft Machine, the global ‘crossover’ phenomenon Adiemus, award winning soundtracks for Levis and British Airways, as well as numerous commissions such as those in this collection, while stopping off along the way to score a Kiefer Sutherland movie, be a castaway on Desert Island Discs and be featured on the South Bank Show.
Recent recordings include his Stabat Mater, premiered and released in April 2008 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus with the EMO ensemble from Helsinki, Requiem and Kiri Sings Karl, with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
He holds Fellowships or Professorships at five universities or conservatoires, including the Royal Academy of Music, where a room has been named in his honour and in recent years, has been the highest placed living composer in Classic FM’s “Hall of Fame”.
He holds the Classic FM ‘Red f ‘award for ‘outstanding service to classical music’ and was awarded an OBE, by Her Majesty The Queen, in the 2005 New Years Honours List “for services to music”.
This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.
