Lukas Hoevelmann-Koeper

Lukas Hövelmann-Köper is a self-taught composer from Germany and a doctoral student in composition under the supervision of Dr Haris Kittos and Prof Robert Adlington at the Royal College of Music in London, where he has been awarded an RCM scholarship. His research explores the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, with a particular focus on Difference and Repetition, and applies these philosophical concepts to the fields of composition and musicology. In doing so, he challenges the traditional post-Platonic emphasis on identity and representation in favour of a focus on processes, forces, difference and multiplicity. Drawing on the philosophical perspectives of Nietzsche, Adorno, Bergson, Heidegger and Whitehead, he explores how the transformative and dynamic properties of music can provide deeper insights into philosophical ontology, while also challenging the identity-based assumptions of dominant music theory.

Lukas' compositions have received numerous awards and have been performed internationally by acclaimed orchestras and ensembles such as the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Under the adjudication of Unsuk Chin, his orchestral piece 'Quantum Vacuum' won second prize at the prestigious Toru Takemitsu Composition Award in 2018. Other successes include awards at the German Music Competition (DMW), the Franz Schubert and Modern Music Competition of the University of Graz, the Indonesian Orchestra and Ensemble Competition and others. From 2017 to 2018 Lukas was artist-in-residence at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai.

Faculties / departments: Research

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