BIOGRAPHY

Egemen Kurt (b. 2002, Izmir) is a Graz-based composer of orchestral, chamber, and vocal music whose work unfolds like a sculptor refining a moving object. His music is constructed on a foundation of procedurally evolving repetition and physical gestures, marked by a distinctive microtonal distortion that renders the sound oscillating, obsessive, and undeniably virtuosic.

Navigating a complex narrative arc, Kurt’s works lead listeners through harmonically ambiguous terrains that unexpectedly transform into clear, structural interpolations. Within this framework, he explores the boundaries of meta-discourse, balancing immersive atmospheric spaces with sudden flashes of the grotesque. It is a music of vivid patterns and high tension, where formal coherency acts as a container for spontaneous, humorous, and occasionally brutal energy.

His distinctive voice has been recognized internationally, notably as the First Prize winner of the 16th Pablo Sarozobal String Quartet Composition Competition for his piece String Quartet No1: Loquela Codex. His works have been selected for prestigious platforms including the Lucerne Festival (2025), Impuls Festival (2025), and the Aspekte Festival / Ö1 Salzburg (2026).

Kurt’s music has been interpreted by leading ensembles such as Ensemble Intercontemporain, Quatuor Diotima, Quartetto Maurice, Ensemble Oerknal, IEMA Ensemble 2024/25, and Cantando Admont. His works have been performed across Europe including France, Italy, Germany, and Austria at festivals such as the Lucerne Festival and the Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik.

Following initial composition and orchestration studies in Turkey with Uğurcan Öztekin andMehmet Ali Uzunselvi, Kurt continued his education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) with Beat Furrer and Franck Bedrossian. He is currently pursuing studies at the CNSMDP in Paris under the guidance of Frédéric Durieux. He has also worked with composers such as Salvatore Sciarrino, Georges Aperghis, Stefano Gervasoni, and Johannes Maria Staud.