Driven by a love of narrative and a deep interest in capturing human emotion, the music of award-winning composer Alex Berko, called “stirring” by the New York Times, draws from a wide array of influences to create dynamic and expressive art.
Alex’s music has been widely performed throughout the U.S. and abroad by orchestras, choirs, and chamber ensembles. His recent collaborators include the Monterey Symphony, the Cape Symphony, and Cathedral Choral Society and the Washington National Cathedral.
Most recently, Alex received a 2021 ASCAP Morton Gould Award for his orchestra piece, “Among Waves.” Another recent project in collaboration with composer Daniel Bayot and the Lebron James Family Foundation landed Berko a regional Emmy® for his music. His work has also received national recognition from the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI/ASCAP commission), The American Prize (Choral Music Division), American Choral Directors Association (Brock Memorial Prize), and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Alex’s “Lincoln” was recently included on The Crossing’s album, Rising w/ The Crossing, released by New Focus Records. The album was met with critical acclaim and was included in The 25 Best Classical Music Tracks of 2020 by the New York Times and NPR’s “A Diary Of Classical Albums For A Troubled 2020.”
Also an accomplished pianist, Alex was the winner of the inaugural Carl E. Baldassarre Composer/ Performer Competition at the Cleveland Institute of Music. The following year, he was invited to be the featured guest composer/performer for the competition. Alex frequently performs his own works and those of his colleagues.
Alex is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree in composition at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music as a Brown Fellow, where he teaches music theory and ear training at the Shepherd School of Music Preparatory Department. Alex holds a Bachelor of Music in composition, an outside concentration in piano, and a certificate in entrepreneurship from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. To learn more about Alex, visit his website.
Alex’s profound new work, “Mayflower,” performed by Kristen Watson and Neil McGarry, will have its world premiere at the Cape Symphony’s Mayflower and Beyond event on November 13th and 14th.
For more information and to purchase tickets for Mayflower and Beyond, visit capesymphony.org, call the Box Office at 508-362-1111, or visit 1060 Falmouth Road in Hyannis, MA. The Cape Symphony Box Office is open Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
