Reuben Derrick

​I grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, where I am based as a saxophonist, clarinettist, sonic artist and composer, active in New Zealand and Australian exploratory music communities. In addition to reeds I play keyboards and found objects. My influences are eclectic. My doctoral dissertation ‘Acoustic illuminations: recorded space as soundscape composition’ (2014) draws upon field recording and improvisation. This work featured locations in New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka. My soundscape works have been awarded the Lilburn Prize for Composition three times. Ongoing projects include punk-jazz collective 'Poltroon', sound design and music with Rory Dalley for Free Theatre (recently for 'Frankenstein') , as well as multi-disciplinary collaborations with dance (Movement Art Practice and Kyungmi Kim), sculpture, circo-arts, poetry and film. In 2016 I played in the Music Matters Festival in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2015 I was awarded a fellowship to the Music Omi residency in New York, where I collaborated with 13 creative musicians from around the world. In 2009 I visited Sri Lanka for collaboration between traditional ritual artists and western improvisers, from which the group ‘Baliphonics’ was formed. In 2007/08 I toured NZ and recorded with The Crust, a trio performing original arrangements of music by Steve Lacy (with Sum Suraweera and Greg Malcolm). In 2007 my commissioned work for jazz ensemble and pipe organ was performed in the Christchurch Cathedral. I have embraced an exploratory focus, performing collaboratively and solo at music festivals and concert series such as the Now Now, Bomb the Space, and Fredstock. Highlight encounters include Shoji Hano, Franzisca Baumann, Kris Wanders, Misha Marks, Susan Alcorn, Clayton Thomas, Jeff Henderson, Daniel Weltlinger, Matt Earle, Adam Sussmann, Irene Kepl, Adrian Klumpes, Mike Nock, Roger Mannins, John Rae, Jaap Blonk, Richard Nunns, IRD, Peter Broetzmann, Rod Cooper and Karl Ludwig Hubsch.

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