Gabriel Erkoreka was born in Bilbao in 1969. He studied composition with Carmelo Bernaola in Vitoria, and with Michael Finnissy at the Royal Academy of Music, where he obtained the DipRAM and a Master’s degree with distinction. He has received several prizes for his works, including the Spanish National Music Award 2021, the Reina Sofía International Composition Prize, the Rome Prize and the Josiah Parker Prize at the Academy.
Erkoreka's work has been programmed in the Venice Biennale, Musikverein in Vienna, Southbank Centre in London, the ISCM World Music Days in Manchester (1998), Hong Kong (2007) and Beijing (2018), Carnegie Hall in New York, Salle Cortot in Paris, and in other cities around the world. In 2018, he was offered the 'Carte Blanche' by the Spanish National Orchestra in Madrid.
His music has been performed by prestigious ensembles such as the ensemble recherche, EXAUDI and the Diotima Quartet. Several of his works are available on CD, edited by Verso and Stradivarius. He has received commissions from the Nieuw Ensemble, Arditti Quartet, Ensemble Court-Circuit, the Basque National Orchestra and the Guggenheim Museum.
In 2001, Erkoreka was elected an Associate of the Academy (ARAM). He currently teaches composition at Musikene, the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country, and is Artistic Director of the Ciclo de Conciertos ‘Fundación BBVA’ in Bilbao. His works are published by Oxford University Press and Tritó Edicions.