Gabriel Prokofiev

Gabriel Prokofiev was born in London on 6 January 1975 to an English mother and a Russian father, the artist Oleg Prokofiev,[6] and is the grandson of the composer Sergei Prokofiev. His childhood was creative. He studied piano, horn, trumpet, and sang choral music. Resisting the pressure to embark on a classical career, he instead started writing songs and joined a pop band at age ten.[7] Inspired by the electronic dance music of the 90s but also wanting to compose classical music, Prokofiev decided to focus on the sub-genre of electroacoustic music during his student years.[8]

Enticed by the impressive BEAST (Birmingham Electro Acoustic Sound Theatre), founded by the renowned composer Jonty Harrison, Prokofiev studied at the University of Birmingham.[8] He then went on to study a Masters in composition at York University, entering one of his compositions into the Bourges International Electro-Acoustic Music Competition. He won a place in the student residency category.[8] He also became familiar with electronic and hip-hop production techniques and was active as a producer for several years.[7]

Prokofiev returned to writing classical music in 2003 with two string quartets, written for the Elysian Quartet.[9] He then founded the independent record label and night club Nonclassical in 2004,[10] as a way of bringing classical music to younger people.[11] The Nonclassical club nights in London featured experiments in performing classical or classical-influenced music in nontraditional venues.[7] Releasing recordings of the string quartets on his label, he included remixes from electronic music producers (including Vex’d and Hot Chip). This interest in remixing classical music led to compose an "orchestral remix" of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (2011), commissioned by the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire. Then performed to sold-out concert halls in Angers and Nantes.[7] His first breakthrough as a classical composer came when his Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra No.1 was performed at the 2011 BBC Proms. Prokofiev wrote Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra in 2006 during a time when he was wrestling with his creative loyalties between classical and electronic music.[12]

After the Proms, Prokofiev gradually began to dedicate himself to classical music alone, a move that was hastened by an invitation from the Orchestre de Pau Pays de Béarn (OPPB) in France to become their composer in residence.[8] As Prokofiev's fame spread, he began to collaborate with prominent artists on both sides of the classical and pop divide.[7] Developing his name as a composer of concerti for unconventional instruments, including works such as the Concerto for Bass Drum and Orchestra (2013), commissioned by the London Contemporary Orchestra and Princeton Symphony. Taking inspiration from his nonclassical club nights, the concerto focused on the intriguing choice of Bass drum as a solo instrument.[8] His Violin Concerto was performed by Daniel Hope and the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic at the BBC Proms in 2014, and his Saxophone Concerto, performed by jazz-man Branford Marsalis, was jointly commissioned by the Naples Philharmonic and the Detroit Symphony in 2017.[7]

He has often collaborated with choreographers and ballet companies, composing a works for the Rambert Dance Company,[7] Birmingham Royal Ballet,[13] Katarzyna Kozielska’s Dark Glow, premiered by Stuttgart Ballet, and Bayadère: The Ninth Life, choreographed by Shobana Jeyasingh.[9]

In 2019, after attracting the attention of Regensburg Opera, Gabriel was commissioned to write his first full length opera, ‘Elizabetta', an invigorating mix of classic operatic aria and recitative with techno and dance, TV-commercials, Congolese song, contemporary classical and electronic music.[8]

In 2022 Prokofiev composed the soundtrack for Litvinenko, the ITVX drama about the poisoning of former Russian security officer Alexander “Sasha” Litvinenko who had defected to the UK.[4]

Prokofiev resides in Hackney, London, with his wife and their three children.[5]

• Official website
• Gabriel Prokofiev at IMDb
• nonclassical.co.uk