Gabriel Erkoreka was born in Bilbao, Spain in 1969. He studied with Carmelo Bernaola in Vitoria-Gasteiz, graduating with honours in composition and piano. In 1995 he entered the Royal Academy of Music to study composition with Michael Finnissy where he obtained the DipRAM and a Masters degree with distinction from the University of London, and was appointed Fellow of Composition 1997-98. He was appointed composer-in-residence of the JONDE (Young Spanish National Orchestra) for 2001–02.

Composition prizes for his works include the First Prize of the “Premio SGAE” in Madrid; the “Premio de Roma” awarded by the Spanish Academy in Rome in 2001; Premio INAEM — Colegio de España in Paris; various prizes at the Royal Academy of Music including the Josiah Parker Prize, and the Prize of the Basque Government (1999). He was selected to participate in the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers and for the International Gaudeamus Music Week.

In 2001, Gabriel Erkoreka was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), where he also taught orchestration. He has been invited to give lectures at the Instituto Cervantes in London, Manchester and Chicago; the CDMC-Encuentros con los Jovenes Compositores in Madrid; the Festival de Música del Siglo XX in Bilbao, and at the Estoril Music Festival in Portugal. As a pianist, he has given solo and chamber music concerts in England and Spain. His orchestral debut was in April 1998, playing Ravel’s Concerto in G with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. He is founder member of the Trio Bernaola and composer-in-association of the KRATER Ensemble. He currently lives in London and teaches composition at MUSIKENE — Basque Country Superior Conservatoire.