Kiefer Bernard

"...innovative, unique ...an exceptionally gifted composer..."  - Indie Film Music Contest

I am in 10th grade, 17 years old, and a classical music composer from Montclair, New Jersey. Read more in my Biography. 

NEWS

(January 2025) My piece "Last Minute Chime(s) on Mars", written for a Pierrot Quintet (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano) and was performed as part of a recital at the Mannes School of Music on January 18, 2025.  Stay tuned for the recording and video!

(December 2024) I was selected to write a string quartet for The Dolphins Quartet of The Juilliard School.  The quartet will be workshopped, professionally recorded, and performed at a concert in May 2025!

(December 2024) I was again a Finalist for the Ruth Crawford Seeger Prize sponsored by Elmhurst University this year.

(October 2024) Check out my String Quartet #2, "Escapement" on SoundCloud by clicking here.

(September 2024) My score for the short film  "Shopping Trip" was called "innovative" and "unique" by the Indie Film Music Contest.  Watch and listen to it here.

(July 2024) I attended the Boston Unversity Tanglewood Institute Electroacoustical Workshop.  For my final project,  I composed "Clock Dream Becomes Reality",  Originally in 5.1 Surround Sound, here is a stereo version, best experienced with headphones.

(May 2024) My violin and cello duet, "Alone but not lonely (a dream)" was performed at the New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs' Gold Cup Concert on May 5.  Listen to the MIDI version here.

(April 2024)  The Emissary Quartet premiered my flute quartet, "Rhapsody in Rapids" as part of a concert of Mannes Prep student composers on April 20.  Watch the video of the live performance here, and listen to the MIDI version here. 

(March 2024) I won first prize and received a Superior (highest) rating in the high school (Class 4) composition competition for the New Jersey Federation of Music Clubs for my violin and cello duet, "Alone but not lonely (a dream)".

(January 2024) I was a Finalist for the Ruth Crawford Seeger Prize sponsored by Elmhurst University.

(March 2023) I won the  Award of Outstanding Interpretation (top prize, middle school) in the NJPTA Reflections competition for my piece, Lost in a Forest. 

(October 2022) I was the sole winner of the 2022 National Association for Music Education Student Composer competition (K-8) for my piece, Battle Cry.  Read about it here...