JUDITH HAMANN
JUDITH HAMANN
Judith Hamann is a composer/performer/improviser born in Australia who lives and works in Berlin. Described as an “extraordinary Australian cellist” (the Guardian), and as a composer who “destroys the fiction of the musician who lives and works outside conventional parameters and puts in its place a series of compositions that are fundamentally humane” (Louise Grey, WIRE Magazine), their work encompasses performance, improvisation, electro-acoustic composition, field recording, electronics, site specific generative work, and micro-tonal systems in a deeply considered process based, or even ‘nomadic’ approach to creative practice.
Currently their work is focused on an examination of expressions and manifestations of 'shaking’ in solo performance practice, a collection of new works for cello and humming, and ongoing research surrounding ‘collapse’ and the ‘de-mastering’ of instrumental practice.
Judith has studied contemporary classical repertoire with renowned cellists including Charles Curtis and Séverine Ballon, as well as developing a strong practice in improvisation and sonic arts through collaborative projects both in Australia and internationally. Judith enjoys thinking and working with other artists which includes Marja Ahti, Joshua Bonnetta, Dennis Cooper, Pascale Criton, Charles Curtis, Lori Goldston, Sarah Hennies, Yvette Janine Jackson, Anike Joyce Sadiq, Éliane Radigue, and La Monte Young. Judith is a member of Golden Fur, the Harmonic Space Orchestra, Yvette Janine Jackson’s Radio Opera Workshop, and has ongoing collaborative projects with Anthea Caddy, James Rushford, Sholto Dobie, and Lori Goldston.
Judith has performed widely with festivals including Tectonics (Glasgow, Athens), UnSound (NYC), Musikprotokoll (Graz), Sonic Acts (Amsterdam), Maerzmusik (Berlin), CTM (Berlin), The Venice Biennale of Music, The Los Angeles Philharmonic Fluxus Festival (LA), Tokyo Experimental Festival, AURAL (Mexico City), SiDance Festival (Seoul), ZhDK Alvin Lucier 85th Birthday Festival (Zurich), Counterflows (Glasgow), No Idea Festival (Austin), Berlin Jazz Festival, The Now Now (Sydney), Adelaide International Arts Festival (Adelaide), Supersense (Melbourne), and Liquid Architecture (AU). Other performance highlights include improvised or repertoire presentations at Cafe Oto (London), Dia Art Foundation (NYC), Steim Institute (Amsterdam), Studio 104 Radio France (Paris), Logos Foundation (Ghent), LaSalle University (Singapore), SuperDeluxe (Tokyo), O’ Gallery (Milan) and Tempo Reale (Florence).
Judith is a champion of new and rarely performed music, immersive approaches to sound, and engages with a range of interdisciplinary and experimental projects including collaborative work with visual artists Keith Deverell, Sabina Maselli, and film makers Joshua Bonnetta and Benedetta De Alessi. They have also presented installation work in Melbourne, San Diego, the Noosa Hinterlands, MOS Gorzow (PL), Galerie Wedding (Berlin) and at the Venice Biennale of Architecture. Judith has been an artist in residence at INA GRM Radio France, Tokyo Wondersite Aoyama, HIAP (Suomenlinna), Akademie Schloss Solitude (Stuttgart), Kunstmeile Krems Betriebs GmbH (Krems), Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris), and Syros Sounding Paths Residency (Syros). They are also a regular member of the APRA award winning regional music program (2016 tour) and Sonus Ensemble through TURA New Music Australia, working in community in the Kimberley region of Australia.
Judith has performed or composed music released on labels including Shelter Press, Blank Forms, Black Truffle, Longform Editions, Saltern, Pogus, Another Timbre, SUPERPANG and Marginal Frequency.
Judith holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from UC San Diego, majoring in contemporary cello performance.
Judith uses she/her and they/them pronouns.
CONTACT
judithehamann (at) gmail.com
judithehamann (at) gmail.com
Photograph by Karen Milling