Robert Ek

Robert Ek has, as a clarinetist, specialized in contemporary music as a chamber musician and soloist. With great curiosity and dedication, he works together with composers to develop the repertoire for his instrument. He has recorded around 20 records and premiered a large number of works as soloist and chamber musician.

Since 2007 he is a member of the acclaimed ensemble Norrbotten NEO, the country's only ensemble with a national mission to work with contemporary music. Norrbotten NEO premieres a number of works by Swedish and international composers every year. In 2012, the ensemble received fst’s interpretation award for their work with contemporary music.

Robert has performed and collaborated with musicians, composers and conductors from different parts of the world. He likes to work in the border country between arts and has worked closely not only with composers but also with writers, choreographers and filmmakers.

Robert has toured Europe, North America, Asia and Australia and played at festivals such as Warzaw autumn, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, June in Buffalo, Faithful (Berlin), ISCM world music days in Stockholm and Tallinn, Musica Viva (Lisbon), Beijing Contemporary Music Festival.

In recent years, his work on developing the repertoire has focused on live electronics and developing the clarinet as an augmented instrument. As a PhD candidate in performing arts at the Luleå University of Technology, he is part of the GEMM))) research cluster led by prof. Stefan Östersjö, focusing on Gesture, Embodiment and Machines in Music.