Prins, Stefan

Born in 1979 in Kortrijk (Belgium). After graduating as an engineer, he started full-time piano and composition studies at the Royal Flemish Conservatoire in Antwerp, where he obtained his master’s degree in composition with honours. Concurrently, he studied music technology at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels, sonology at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and philosophy of culture and philosophy of technology at the University of Antwerp. In 2017 he obtained a PhD in composition at Harvard University under the guidance of Chaya Czernowin and Hans Tutschku. 

As a composer he received several important awards in Belgium and abroad, including the Berliner Kunstpreis für Musik (2016), ISCM Young Composer Award (2014), Kranichsteiner Musikpreis for Composition (Darmstadt, 2010), Staubach Honorarium (Darmstadt, 2009), and the International Impuls Composition Award (Graz, 2009). In 2012 the Union of Belgian Music Journalists elected him Young Belgian Musician of the Year. In 2014 he became laureate of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for the Sciences and Arts in the Class of the Arts. 

Stefan Prins is closely involved with the Nadar Ensemble as a composer and codirector, and was one of the founders of the long-standing trio for improvised music collectief reFLEXible and the band Ministry of Bad Decisions (with percussionist Brian Archinal and e-guitarist Yaron Deutsch). 

His music has been played by Klangforum Wien, Nadar Ensemble, Ictus Ensemble, Nikel Ensemble, ensemble mosaik, Trio Accanto, Ensemble Dal Niente, ensemble recherche, Athelas Sinfonietta, Ensemble Proton Bern, Zwerm Electric Guitar Quartet, Champ d’Action at festivals such as the Donaueschinger Musiktage, Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt, Wittener Tage für Neue Musik, Eclat, Warsaw Autumn, Gaudeamus, Musica Strasbourg, Ars Musica, Tzlil Meudcan, Impuls, Huddersfield, and Ultima Festival. 

His preferred colour is blood red. 

Selected works: In memoriam Luciano Berio for bassoon and piano (2003), No habrá una sola cosa que no sea una nube for piano, flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon (2002–3), Étude intérieure #1 for piano and marbles (2004), Schling, electroacoustic performance–installation (2005), Erosie (Memory Space #1) for amplied viola and bayan / accordion (2005), Memory Space #2 for ensemble (2005–6), Ventriloquium for ensemble and live electronics (2006), G.L.I.M.for tape (2006), Memory Space #3 for trumpet and live electronics (2006), Not I for guitar and live electronics (2007), FITTINGinSIDE for tenor trombone, walking tour, MP3 players, sound processing and spatial installation (2007), Ensuite for cello (2008), Fremdkörper #1 for flute, electric guitar, percussion, cello and live electronics (2009), Körperfor chamber orchestra (2009), In ltrationen (Memory Space #4) for electric guitar quartet and live electronics (2009), Fremdkörper #2 for ensemble and live electronics (2010), Fremdkörper #3 (mit Michael Jackson) for 10 instruments and sampler (2010), Plug’n’Play for laptop and large ensemble (2011), Piano Hero #1 for MIDI keyboard, webcam, live electronics and video (2011), Piano Hero #2 for piano, MIDI keyboard, webcam, live electronics and video (2012), Hybridae for 8-channel projection (2012), PARK, music, text, performance and scenography for electric guitar quartet and live electronics (2012), Generation Kill for percussion, electric guitar, violin, cello, four game controllers, four video projections and live electronics (2012), Generation Kill – o spring 1 for percussion, cello, two controllers, two video projections and live electronics (2012), Flesh+Prosthesis #1 for amplified saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, piano and 4-channel sound projection (2013), I’m Your Body for amplified saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, piano, chamber ensemble and 4-channel sound projection (2013), Study for a Mirror Box for 4-channel sound projection (2014), Mirror Box (Flesh+Prosthesis) #3 for amplified saxophone, percussion, piano and electronics (2014), Mirror Box Extensions for 7 musicians, video and live electronics (2014‒15), Peel for electronics (2016), Infiltrationen 3.0 for string quartet, 2 FX pedal players and live electronics (2009, rev. 2016), Piano Hero #3 for piano and live electronics (2016), Piano Hero #4 for MIDI keyboard, piano, live electronics and live video (2016‒17), Hände ohne Orte for clarinet, percussion, piano, cello and tape (2016‒17), Third Space, theatre music for 10 instruments and electronics (2016‒18).