“...The sublime alchemy of Canary Island’s native Rubens Askenar reframes the possibilities of the piano” - Mata Festival (New York) 

“...This is music that appeals to the most primitive instincts and manages to show that it is possible to create authentic wonders with non-normative elements” - Núvol Magazine (Barcelona)

“…broad musical knowledge put into practice with insight, judgment and good manners. A final anticlimax rounded the overwhelming sound image displayed” - Forum Clásico Magazine (Madrid)

Dr. Rubens Askenar is a Canarian composer and researcher, celebrated for his exceptional artistic vision, unwavering commitment to experimentation, and avant-garde approach to his craft. Currently residing in the vibrant cultural capital of London, Askenar’s diverse career is defined by his dual roles as a freelance composer and professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. 

Askenar creative oeuvre is characterised by its diverse range of genres and forms, reflecting his ceaseless exploration of compositional models based on multi-instrumental practice and technological advancements. His works have been performed to resounding critical acclaim at an array of international festivals, including Muziekgebow in Holland, reMusic in Russia, FIMC in Spain, and MATA festival in New York, amongst others. 

As part of the Royal Academy's bicentenary commission, Askenar embarked on a groundbreaking cycle of pieces that traverse fragmented instrumental relationships, fuelled by intricate experimentation in both acoustic and electronic contexts. These novel instrumental bodies prove ideal within his musical universe, as they lack technical-instrumental context and interpretive reference, enabling him to craft unique and innovative compositional materials. 

Askenar’s performative abilities as a multi-instrumentalist have been a constant source of inspiration, leading to a deeply materialistic conception of his craft. His pioneering approach involves not only creating and developing new instruments but also manipulating them and delving deeply into their unique modes of vibration, constantly pushing the boundaries of what has been offered and striving to reveal what has yet to be explored. 

Furthermore, Askenar has worked extensively in the field of live composition, creating, and developing an innovative compositional system that facilitates a seamless interactive space for composers, ensembles, and orchestras alike, thereby redefining the boundaries of collaboration within contemporary music composition. 

SUPERVISION

Rubens supervises and examines PhDs in Composition (primary supervisor) at the Royal Academy of Music and at The Royal College of Music. Supervised project areas include orchestration models of inexact pitch notation, technology and timbre and the influence of electronics on orchestration practice, and Spectro-morphological approaches in composition.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A catalogue of selected published compositions can be found at Composers Edition

Askenar, R., Lessons on Disremembering. Models of Sound Creation. Colección Canora II. Ateneo de La Laguna, 2023