SHAWN PINCHBECK

Electroacoustic music composer, sound designer and media artist

Shawn Pinchbeck is an Edmonton, Alberta based electroacoustic music composer, sound designer and media artist. Active as an artist since the mid-80’s, he has worked with many aspects of electronic music and sound engineering. First gaining recognition for heavy synthesizer and noise based electronic music, which charted on campus radio stations around North America. Then later for his ambient spacey electronic music, which gained media attention in Canada and abroad; even being featured in the book “The Billboard Guide to Progressive Music”. His recent work centres on interactive sound and video installations, software based artworks, dance performances, electroacoustic music composition, live electroacoustic music performances, VJ’ing and circuit bending.

He is a avid supporter of Edmonton’s artistic communities. He regularly produces and curates concerts, events and festivals in Edmonton; creating venues for creative exchange between Edmonton and the World. He has sat on the board of many Alberta arts organizations including: Alberta Media Arts Alliance, Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta, Metro Cinema Society, and the Boreal Electroacoustic Music Society of which he was a founding member. He currently sits on the board of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community. Shawn is active internationally and has presented his work in festivals and events in over 15 countries. He has numerous solo releases and his work has appeared on many films including the Genie Award winning documentary “The Corporation”, which has shown in cinemas and TV around the World. He is currently a lecturer of Sound Design at the Baltic Film and Media School, and has lectured regularly in the past in various topics at the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Estonian Academy of Music, and Tallinn University. In 2006, he taught electroacoustic music at the University of Alberta, and has lectured at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, Finland and Liepaja University, Latvia.

He has won numerous awards and grants including; the Edmonton Artist Trust Fund, Canada Council for the Arts Grants, Alberta Foundation for the Arts Grants, Telus Arts of the Future Award, and the 2008 Best Dance Performance in Estonia. He holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Birmingham, UK and is currently a PhD candidate in Music Composition at the University of Birmingham.

Check out Shawn Pinchbeck on:

bandcamp , Discogs , soundcloud , Sonus , Wave Farm

Ortona Statement

My first introduction to the Ortona Armoury was in 1996 when I did a month long residency and exhibit “The Decay of Lying” in the Ortona Gallery. This started regular collaboration between myself and various tenants in the building. I used space in the building for festivals and events I was curating, and started working on films and other projects that people associated with the building were active in. After 2 years on a waiting list, I was lucky enough to get a space of my own in the building. This has resulted in a long period of collaboration between myself and many people in and associated with the building. The artists that use the building support each other, collaborate with each other, and hang out together; spinning off into numerous creative endeavours. It is really a hub and anchor for my creative activities in Alberta and abroad; a quiet place to record, compose, contemplate and tinker on my projects.