[ISEA2010] Artists Statement: Hildur Guðnadóttir & Keiichiro Shibuya – Two solo performances and one concert

Artists Statement

Hildur Guðnadóttir likes to experiment with the nature and movement of sound. Known for her collaborations with múm and Pan Sonic, she will perform with her new halldorophone. Based on the acoustics of a violoncello, the sound of this instrument is generated by an electroacoustic feedback system. The melancholic beauty of Guðnadóttir’s playing will unfold in the superb acoustics of the Konzerthaus.

Keiichiro Shibuya’s electronic compositions are acclaimed for their highly intense and dense sound. In 2009, he released for maria, his first pure piano album. For his concert Shibuya will compose and rearrange his works for piano and electronics. Specially created software will be deployed to record the grand piano live in order to manipulate and render its sound.

After two solo performances the two artists will close the evening playing in concert.

  1. Hildur Guðnadóttir: cello, electronics
  2. Keiichiro Shibuya: piano, electronics
  • Hildur Guðnadóttir (IS, 1983) is a cellist and composer working in various collaborations and projects. Coming from Iceland, she studied cello in Reykjavik as well as musical studies/composition in Reykjavik and Berlin. Beeing a member of Kitchen Motors, a Reykjavik based think tank, record label and art collective along with Jóhann Jóhannsson, she is a major figure in the Icelandic music and art scene. Since 2004 she performed with the band Angel (Ilpo Väisänen and Dirk Dresselhaus), made an album with Dirk (Mr. Schmuck’s farm), and played live with Pan Sonic, later collaborating on their album Cathodephase. She released her first solo album, Mount A, under the artist name Lost in the Hildurness, on 12 Tónar in 2006. In 2009, she released Without Sinking at Touch Records. Guðnadóttir is a member of Storsveit Nix Noltes (The Nix Noltes Big Band). She has also played frequently with BJ Nilsen in duet as well as with Skúli Sverrisson, Hilmar Jensson, Hafler Trio, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Nico Muhly, Valgeir Sigurdsson, Angel, Schneider™, Ben Frost and Stilluppsteypa. As a composer she was nominated twice for the Iclandic Music Award and wrote pieces for theatre, dance, performances, chamber orchestras and films.
  • Keiichiro Shibuya (JP). Born in 1973, Japanese composer Shibuya founded the minimal techno label ATAK, which – apart from being a music label – also aims at being a platform for design, image technologies and web design. To move freely between different artistic disciplines is a consistent principle in Shibuya’s work. On a regular basis he develops sound installations, which rearrange his own compositions computer-controlled and address spacial experience of sound. Or he translates three-dimensional sound installations into a CD-format, like in filmachine, which received a special mention at Ars Electronica in 2007. He often collaborates with various international composers and artists. In 2003, he worked with Yuji Takahashi. He also collaborated with Icelandic band Stilluppsteypa, who fuse Punk and electronic music indistinguishable. In 2004, he released his first solo album ATAK000 keiichiro shibuya, which focused completely on the sound quality of his material. With his new album, for maria, he continues with his musical occupation by directing the audience’s full concentration on the piano’s different timbres and dissonances.

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Keiichiro Shibuya is supported by Japan Foundation.