Richard Johnson

Background

About Richard Johnson

As the Director/Producer/Curator of SoundOut Festivals I am responsible for the presentation of musical collaborations from local, interstate and International musicians of the Avant garde. My objectives are to bring to the festival, the very best in Free Improvisation, Free Jazz and Experimental musics from the world and make them available to the audiences in Canberra and Australia. Also to make a environment for collaborations for all the artists involved and thus creating a fertile field for new and exciting musics to evolve between the artists. As a performer, I have performed at the What is Music Festival, Nownow Festival; the Make it Now Fest; the Brice Glace Ensemble and the 102 Club Orkestra in Grenoble France 2004; “Whip it“ series in Sydney; various Precipice annual Improv workshops as well as hosting local/interstate/international improvisation nights in Canberra; and as the Producer/Director/Curator and performer at SoundOut festivals 2010 – 2019. I was commissioned by the Casula Power House to collaborate with Artist Savanhdary Vongpoothorn to produce a 30-minute Soundscape for the Australia Exhibition in Sydney 2008; in 2010 I collaborated with glass/conceptual artist Denise Higgins on a soundscape for her show in Melbourne. He has performed with the likes of Jaap Blonk, John Rose, Rodrigo Motoya, Antonio Panda Gianfratti, Robbie Avenaim, Jerome Nottinger, Xavier Querell, Jim Denley, Kim Myhr, Clare Cooper, Annette Giesreigl, Clayton Thomas, Isaiah Ceccarelli, Yan Jun, Laura Altman, Michael Norris, Evan Dorian, Christine Abdelnour, Philippee Lauzier, Eric Normand, Sam Pettigrew and Rishin Singh. Currently I am working in the Psithurism wind trio with John Porter and Rhys Butler. I received two awards APRA AMCOS Art Music awards for Excellence in Experimental Music in August 2015 for the SoundOut festival (see links to media)