Photo courtesy Ben Vida, 2013

Ben Vida, Bird Show

Ben Vida is a composer, improviser and sound artist living in Brooklyn, NY. He produces electronic compositions that utilize analog and digital synthesizing technologies and focus on aural phenomena and sound localization. Ben co-founded the group Town and Country, produced three records of world musique concrete under the name Bird Show and plays in the band Soft Circle. In collaboration with Greg Davis, he creates cross control voltage integrated improvisations and real time automatic group composition.

Ben has worked with artists Siebren Versteeg, Meredyth Sparks, Marina Rosenfeld, Luke Fowler, Hisham Bharoocha, Nadia Hironaka and Mathew Suib and has played in ensembles led by Tony Conrad, Rhys Chattam, and Werner Dafeldecker. He has performed with with Tyondai Braxton, Nate Wooley, Ryan Sawyer, Chad Taylor, Eli Keszler, Yamatsuka Eye and C. Spencer Yeh among many others. He has released over twenty records on such labels as Thrill Jockey, Drag City, PAN, Amish, Bottrop-Boy, Hapna and Kranky.

In 2011 Ben was Composer in Residency at Diapason Space, NYC and at EMS Studios, Stockholm and was awarded a Swedish Arts Committee Travel Grant, ISSUE Project Room Emerging Artists Commission and Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona "Composing with Process" Exclusive Works Commission. 2012 he premiered a new composition for fixed electronics and small ensemble commissioned by the ACM/Palomar Ensemble in Chicago. In the spring of 2013 he will be an Artist in residence at Issue Project Room, Brooklyn and will stage a solo show at Audio Visual Arts Gallery in Manhattan.

As both a solo artist and in collaboration Ben has presented his work in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, South Korea and Japan.

Ben Vida Performance

Composer and sound artist Ben Vida performs at the Clocktower with percussionist Eli Keszler, presenting electronic compositions for digital and analog synthesis, drums, and automated percussion that he developed as part of the Clocktower artist production program. Free and open to the public. Seating is limited, 108 Leonard Street, 13th Floor. Bring a photo ID. Confirmed RSVP required to events@artonair.org. No admittance after 7pm. Ben Vida has worked with artists Siebren Versteeg, Meredyth Sparks, Marina Rosenfeld, Luke Fowler, Hisham Bharoocha, Nadia Hironaka and Mathew Suib and has played in ensembles led by Tony Conrad, Rhys Chattam, and Werner Dafeldecker. He has performed with with David Behrman, Tyondai Braxton, Nate Wooley, Ryan Sawyer, Chad Taylor, Eli Keszler, Yamatsuka Eye and C. Spencer Yeh among many others. He has released over twenty records on such labels as Thrill Jockey, Drag City, PAN, Amish, Bottrop-Boy, Hapna and Kranky.