Karl Larson

Pianist Karl Larson is a vigorous advocate for contemporary music, not only premiering new works but performing adventurous programs in both traditional venues and those devoted to new music. Larson is the co-founder of the contemporary music-oriented trio Bearthoven. Larson was born in Wisconsin. He attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, graduating in 2009. Larson went on to Bowling Green State University, where he earned master's and doctoral degrees, studied with Laura Melton, and soaked up the vigorous contemporary music programs centered on the school, often playing in new music ensembles. In 2010, he was a co-founder of the Color Field Ensemble. Larson moved to New York after receiving his doctorate and settled in Brooklyn. In 2013, he founded Bearthoven, consisting of himself on piano, bassist Pat Swoboda, and percussionist Matt Evans; that group has commissioned more than 15 works. As a solo pianist, he has appeared at such venues as Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Teatro General San Martín in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Larson has premiered new works by David Rakowski, Christopher Cerrone, and Ravi Kittappa, among others. With Kittappa, Larson curates the monthly new music and art event Permutations in New York. He also frequently plays established modern works such as those by Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen, and Morton Feldman. Larson has collaborated with a wide variety of contemporary composers and musicians, including Eve Beglarian, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and Eighth Blackbird. Larson made his recording debut in 2014 on the album Re: you, featuring works by composer Robert Honstein. In 2016, Larson accompanied cellist Ashley Bathgate on the album Ken Thomson: Restless. On the New Focus label in 2018, Larson returned to the music of Honstein on the album An Economy of Means. In 2021, Larson issued the album Scott Wollschleger: Dark Days, for which he also served as producer, editor, and mastering engineer.
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