Rhian Sheehan's Standing In Silence Coming To Auckland

LOOP & Groove Guide Present
Standing In Silence: Rhian Sheehan & Guests

Saturday 28 May 2011
The Mercury Theatre, Auckland
Following his sold out and critically acclaimed performance in 2010; Rhian Sheehan presents this opulent, conceptual masterpiece in its full multifaceted glory for the very first time in Auckland.
A stunning audio and visual performance, Standing In Silence sees 15 contemporary, classical and electronic New Zealand musicians perform live alongside a filmic backdrop of moving images that were shot all over the world by Gareth Moon, specifically for the Standing In Silence show. The combined effect of this is one of surreal beauty, isolation & innocence.
The breath-taking, texturally rich performance will feature a selection of talented musicians including Sheehan’s key collaborator, Jeff Boyle (Jakob), Steve Bremner (NZSO, Strike), Raashi Malik (Rhombus), Andy Hummel (The Woolshed Sessions), Pete Hill (The Woolshed Sessions), Jane Pierard, The SIS String Quintet & special guests.
Inspired by a photo he took in India of a lone man standing on a hill amongst pollution, Rhian Sheehan based Standing In Silence around the question: “Is it possible to be surrounded by a mass of humanity, a bustling sea of lives, and still stand in silence?”
Sheehan’s proposition extends visually into emotive, original photographic and moving images, which are interwoven throughout the performance, portraying the lives and environments of individual people living in megacities throughout Asia using state of the art projection techniques by Nektar films.
The debut performance was described as “amazing, people were stunned to silence, moved by the depth of emotion in the music - and the fact that something world class was being presented to a lucky few.” - The Dominion Post

“The show is all about reflection and contemplation. I would describe Standing In Silence as drifting through some future megatropolis city through the eyes and innocence of a child.” – Rhian Sheehan
The music encapsulates Rhian Sheehan’s original instrumental compositions, which incorporates sonic experiments with the sounds of found objects not usually heard in music. Such objects include wine glasses, bowed & plucked piano strings, tailor made music boxes, tongue drums, body percussion, the sound of bustling crowds and children at play.
Standing In Silence, Rhian Sheehan’s fourth album was released in 2009 as a growing project, which challenges the form of electronic music by taking a more filmic and ethereally esoteric approach with an emphasis on communicating current global and cultural issues through music and imagery.
Standing In Silence the album is available to purchase through stores, iTunes & LOOPshop.
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Video links:
Montage from last year’s performance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6xOYtSdgY
Standing In Silence: Part 2 - http://vimeo.com/9658002
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Album Reviews: Standing In Silence
“Accomplished, evocative and sustained...One of the finest masterpieces of sound this year... there seems to be a never-ending dosage of mind-blowing splendor and self-reflection within this sonic gem.” - The Silent Ballet, USA

“Spine tingling...a tsunami of sound. Sheehan, take a bow, you’ve nailed it.” - Dominion Post

“A stunningly static, beautifully textured, listening experience...it devours and envelopes you. For fans of Sigur Ros or Boards of Canada.” - NZ Herald

“A masterpiece of textural sound.” – Simon Sweetman, Blog On The Tracks

Rhian Sheehan: Biography
Standing in Silence, his first full-length release in four years, represents a new musical bearing for Sheehan. His previous albums, 2001's Paradigm Shift (regarded as a landmark in New Zealand electronica) and 2004's Tiny Blue Biosphere (both released by LOOP Recordings), were acclaimed for their visionary blend of cerebral beats with sci-fi storylines and cosmic sensibilities. Yet these albums were conventional in comparison to Standing in Silence as Sheehan's latest work pushes into a new direction of organic, ambient and abstract sound. The sounds of cascading glockenspiels, plucked piano strings, wine glasses, playgrounds and airports are the substance of Standing in Silence.
Sheehan's work has featured on a variety of international CD compilations, most notably the multi-platinum selling Cafe’ del Mar series. His music has also appeared regularly on BBC television programming, including Top Gear, and has been used for a variety of TV commercials, movie trailers and short films worldwide. In 2009, Sheehan composed the soundtrack for We are Astronomers, a full space dome film narrated by Dr Who’s David Tennant, and commissioned by the UK's National Space Centre, which is currently screening at Planetariums throughout the world. Sheehan recently composed the score to the 13 part prime-time TV Drama series The Cult (for which he won a Qantas Film & TV award) and also wrote the soundtrack to the Emmy Award winning series, Reservoir Hill.

www.rhiansheehan.com

ENDS

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