Benjamin Skepper “IN THE FIELD” NEW ALBUM RELEASE
LIVE in JAPAN at KONNO SHRINE

DATE: Sat 28 September
TIME: 530pm　LIVE START：6pm
ADDRESS: Konno Shrine – Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuy
3-5-12
Tel: 03-3407-1811


PRESALE TICKETS http://www.wazoo.jp/open/skepperlivetokyo2013/

5000 yen including copy of new Album　(limited number)
4000 yen ticket only
4000 yen at the gate if available

PRESS RELEASE

Once a year, Benjamin Skepper returns to Japan to create a solo live sound installation at Konno Shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo. 2013 marks the release of his 4th solo album “In the Field” and the first performance in Japan for the year.

The theme of this years installation is “Energy”. In collaboration with RA Energy Design, the creators will present a sound system powered by solar energy with newly designed speakers by Taguchi. The purpose of this years installation is to get us all thinking positively about renewable energy resources and devising ways to integrate these into our daily lives.

The new solo album “IN THE FIELD” is a culmination of field recordings taken by the artist over the past six years of world travel. The album is a mix of country specific sound samples or “sound trips”. Countries include Japan, Italy, Turkey, France and Australia.

After touring Russia, Europe and Australia, Benjamin will also perform new works on Pianoforte, for the first time in Japan, as well as cello, electronics and found sound objects.
　
The album artwork has been masterfully created by Ito Keiji of UFG, and will be for sale, alongside vinyl records and CDs from the contrapuntal records back catalogue featuring the duo’s collaboration on all Benjamin Skepper’s previous solo albums.

BENJAMIN SKEPPER ARTIST PROFILE

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Benjamin Skepper trained in western classical music, opera and ballet for 20 years. Wishing to pursue a contemporary career, Skepper has spent the last 10 years refining his skills in composition, production, creative direction, sound and performance art, sound installation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Skepper works internationally presenting live performances and installations for art museums, theatre, luxury and fashion brands. He composes for TV CMs, theatre and film soundtracks. He also creates sound works and installations in the emerging field of Sound Art. He most recently completed a tour of Russia and is now an Ambassador for culture to Australia to deepen trade and cultural relations between sister cities Melbourne and St Petersburg.

“Embodying classical aesthetic, music and culture, Benjamin Skepper is a musician with an extraordinary sense of the contemporary” (Rolling Stone Italy, 2011).



THE NEW SOLO ALBUM “IN THE FIELD”

This is the fourth solo album by Benjamin Skepper, though starkly different to his last. Always equipped with his sound recorder, Skepper has a vast library of field recordings taken from trips around the globe. This album is a voyage into sounds as felt by the artist on journeys throughout Japan, Turkey, Italy, Australia and France. Each composition features up to 15 field recordings remixed and resampled to create each sound piece.


RA ENERGY DESIGN

The RA Energy Design team was born directly after the Tohoku Disaster that swept across Japan in 2011. The team is speaker designer Mr. Taguchi, activist Tomoaki Murakami and sound engineer Kohji Fujita. Not only is the team exploring solar energy, but further researching alternative approaches to sustainable living. In the field of sound and acoustics, where sound quality is governed by the power source, the RA Energy Design Team continues to experiment and conduct research into the practicality of harnessing batteries as a power source.