Ofer Pelz

(1978 - )

Ofer Pelz was born in Haifa, Israel and lives in Montreal. Ofer composes music for diverse combinations of instruments and electroacoustic media and is also an active improviser.

His music explores the concept he defines as “unstable repetition”—repetitive fragments which always vary from repetition to repetition, all the while trying to keep a perceivable tension. The work of Ofer Pelz has been recognized by the reception of many international prizes, including two ACUM awards and the Ernst Von Siemens Grant.

His music is played regularly in Europe, USA, Canada and Israel in festivals such as Manifeste (IRCAM), La Biennale di Venezia, MATA Festival, Zeitkunst Festival Radialsystem (Berlin), Nuova Consonanza (Rome) and Heidelberger Biennale für Neue Musik. Among the ensembles that have played Pelz’s music are Meitar Ensemble, Cairn Ensemble, Ardeo String Quartet, Israel Contemporary Players, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne and Quatuor Ardeo Architek Percussion.

Ofer received a Masters with excellence in composition and music theory from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Following that, he pursued studies in instrumental and electroacoustic composition at the Conservatory of Blanc-Mesnil with Thierry Blondeau and Gilles Racot, as well as at Paris Conservatory and at IRCAM. He completed his doctorate in music at the Université de Montréal with Ana Sokolovic and Caroline Traube in April 2018.