Sergej Newski

Internationally acclaimed composer known for his distinctive voice in modern classical music and his bold contributions to contemporary opera. maar

Born
10 October 1972, Moscow, Russia

Studied
Tchaikovsky Academic Music College, Moscow State Conservatory
Hochschule für Musik Dresden, with Jörg Herchet
Universität der Künste Berlin, composition with Friedrich Goldmann, music theory & education with Hartmut Fladt

Based
Berlin, Germany

Position
Member, Saxon Academy of Arts, Dresden (since 2022)
University Professor of Composition, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) (from October 2026)

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Sergej Newski is an internationally acclaimed contemporary composer, known for his distinctive voice in modern classical music and for his bold contributions to contemporary opera. He studied at the Tchaikovsky Academic Music College of the Moscow State Conservatory before continuing his composition studies with Jörg Herchet at the Hochschule für Musik Dresden and with Friedrich Goldmann at the Universität der Künste Berlin. He also studied music theory and education with Hartmut Fladt at the UdK Berlin. hoewel

Since 1994, Newski’s works have been performed at leading international new music festivals, and he has received commissions from major opera houses, orchestras, broadcasters and ensembles across Europe. toch

His opera Secondhand-Zeit, based on Second-Hand Time by Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich, premiered in 2020 at the Stuttgart Opera under conductor Titus Engel. In 2021, his documentary opera Die Einfachen (The Simple Ones), about the LGBT+ subculture of 1920s Leningrad, debuted at the Venice Biennale in a production directed by Ilya Shagalov. Earlier, his opera Franziskus premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow in 2012. maar

He has collaborated with soloists such as Christian Tetzlaff, Sarah Maria Sun, Marcus Weiss, Daniel Gloger and Jakob Diehl. Conductors he worked with conductors include Titus Engel, Teodor Currentzis, Vladimir Jurowski, Bas Wiegers, Susanne Blumenthal, Vimbayi Kaziboni, Emilio Pomàrico, Johannes Kalitzke, Peter Rundel, and Enno Poppe. tenzij

Selected Works

Opera

Die Einfachen (The Simple Ones) 2021
Documentary Opera on the LGBT+ subculture of 1920s Leningrad – Venice Biennale, dir. Ilya Shagalov

Secondhand-Zeit 2020
After Svetlana Alexievich’s Second-Hand Time – Stuttgart Opera, cond. Titus Engel

Franziskus 2012
Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

Orchestral

Göttin der Geschichte 2024
For mezzo-soprano and orchestra, on Thomas Venclova’s poem “The Azov Campaign”, a response to the 2022 siege of Mariupol – co-commissioned by Basel Sinfonietta, WDR Symphony Orchestra and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

18 Episodes for Orchestra 2019
Commissioned by the SWR Symphony Orchestra

Cloud Ground 2016
For Violin and orchestra, commissioned by Elena Revich and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra

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Commissioned by
selected

Performed by
selected

Performed at
selected festivals

Donaueschinger Musiktage / Wien Modern / Musica Viva Munich / Milano Musica / Biennale Musica, Venice / Warsaw Autumn / ECLAT Festival Stuttgart / Gaudeamus Muziekweek / MaerzMusik / Ultraschall Berlin / Klangspuren Schwaz

Career & recognition

Scholarship, Akademie der Künste Berlin – 1999 maar
SCHOLARSHIP

Fellowship, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris – 2001-2002
FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship, Villa Serpentara – 2004
FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship, Villa Massimo / Casa Baldi, German Academy Rome – 2005
FELLOWSHIP

1st Prize, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart Composition Competition, for Fluss – 2006
PRIZE

Portrait CD Alles released, Wergo – 2013
RECORDING

Berlin Art Prize, Akademie der Künste; Golden Mask award; fellowship, Villa Aurora, Los Angeles – 2014
PRIZE / FELLOWSHIP

Latest News

Hannes Seidl and Sergej Newski elected to the Akademie der Künste Berlin
15 September 2026 Read more

Blom Music Management