Wikipedia

Ben Richter

Ben Richter (born 1986) is an American composer, accordionist, and director of Ghost Ensemble, an experimental chamber ensemble based in New York.[1]

Ben Richter
Born1986
OriginUnited States
Genres
Occupation(s)composer, performer
Instrumentaccordion
LabelsNew World Records, Infrequent Seams, Indexical
Websitehttps://www.benrichtermusic.com

Biography

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Ben Richter was born in the United States in 1986. Specializing in microtonal accordion performance, he composes chamber music that explores subtle gestures, the interactions of gradual processes, modes of awareness, and Deep Listening.[2][3][4][5] He has collaborated with Pauline Oliveros, Phill Niblock, Carmina Escobar, SEM Ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble, and The Dresden Dolls, among others.[6] He teaches at CalArts[7] and holds an M.M. in music from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (2012) and a B.A. from Bard College (2008), where he studied with Kyle Gann, Joan Tower, and George Tsontakis and privately with Pauline Oliveros. In 2012, he founded Ghost Ensemble, which frequently performs his music and that of other living composers.[8]

Selected compositions

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Richter's works include:

  • Healing Ghost/Destroying Angel (2013), a 60-minute diptych chamber work for Ghost Ensemble.[9]
  • Farther Reaches (2013), a slowly building orchestra work exploring timbral shifts and constant portamento movement.[10][11][12]
  • Rivulose (2015), piano concerto featured at Ostrava Days 2015 and on Czech Radio.[13]
  • Wind People (2016), an acoustic chamber work for Ghost Ensemble combining elements of ambient drone, doom metal, and classical music.[14][15]
  • Panthalassa: Dream Music of the Once and Future Ocean (2017), a 46-minute immersive work for just intonation accordion.[12]
  • Tides of the Wolf (2019), an opera collaboration with novelist Edie Meidav and vocalist Carmina Escobar.[1][16]
  • Rewild (2022), a 50-minute ecological work for Ghost Ensemble.[17]

Discography

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as Ben Richter

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with Ghost Ensemble

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  • Rewild - CD (New World Records, October 2024), including Richter's Rewild[20]
  • Mountain Air - CD (Indexical, September 2021)[21]
  • We Who Walk Again - LP (Indexical, May 2018), including Richter's Wind People[22][23]
  • Lightbulb Ensemble & Ghost Ensemble Live at Pioneer Works (Indexical, 2015), including Richter's Healing Ghost[24]

with The Dresden Dolls

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Tides of the Wolf" http://imaginedtheatres.com/ben-richter/ Imagined Theatres. August 2019. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  2. ^ Smoliar, Stephen. 2017. "The Joyous Cacophony of the Ives Band" http://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-joyous-cacophony-of-ives-band.html The Rehearsal Studio. July 7, 2017. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  3. ^ Wilhoite, Meg. 2018. "We Who Walk Again: CD Review" https://megsnewmusicblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/06/we-who-walk-again-cd-review Meg's New Music Blog. September 6, 2018. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  4. ^ Olewnick, Brian. 2018. "Ghost Ensemble - We Who Walk Again" https://olewnick.blogspot.com/2018/05/ghost-ensemble-we-who-walk-again.html Just Outside. May 27, 2018. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  5. ^ Grella, George. 2014. "Ghost Ensemble Embodies the Spirit of Rugged Independence" https://newyorkclassicalreview.com/2014/05/ghost-ensemble-embodies-the-spirit-of-rugged-independence/ New York Classical Review. May 18, 2014. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  6. ^ "Ghost Ensemble with Pauline Oliveros" (PDF). Deep Listening Institute. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  7. ^ "School of Music: Ben Richter". California Institute of the Arts. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  8. ^ Meline, Gabe. 2018. "Ghost Ensemble and the 'Deep Listening' of Pauline Oliveros" https://www.kqed.org/arts/13831791/ghost-ensemble-and-the-deep-listening-of-pauline-oliveros KQED Arts & Culture. May 9, 2018. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  9. ^ "Healing Ghost". Indexical. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  10. ^ Gottschalk, Kurt. 14 Oct 2013. "Ostrava 2013" https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/ostrava-2013/ NewMusicBox. 14 Oct 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  11. ^ Bendova, Aneta and Podracky, Jan. 2 Sep 2013. "Ostravské dny 2013 naposledy" https://operaplus.cz/ostravske-dny-2013-naposledy/ OperaPlus. 2 Sep 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  12. ^ a b Avant Music News. 18 May 2017. "AMN Reviews: Ben Richter – Panthalassa: Dream Music of the Once and Future Ocean (2017; Infrequent Seams)" https://avantmusicnews.com/2017/05/18/amn-reviews-ben-richter-panthalassa-dream-music-of-the-once-and-future-ocean-2017-infrequent-seams/ Avant Music News. 18 May 2017. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  13. ^ Gottschalk, Kurt. 31 Jan 2016. "Kurt Gottschalk at Ostrava Days 2015 [REVIEW]" http://www.classicalite.com/articles/31327/20160131/exclusive-student-teaching-kurt-gottschalk-at-ostrava-days-2015-review.htm Classicalite. 31 Jan 2016. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  14. ^ "Wind People". Indexical. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  15. ^ Carey, Christian. 24 Jun 2017. "Ghost Ensemble: We Who Walk Again (LP Review)" http://www.sequenza21.com/2018/06/ghost-ensemble-we-who-walk-again-lp-review/ Sequenza21. 24 Jun 2017. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  16. ^ SCV News. 13 Jun 2019. "CalArts Faculty to Perform in Apophenia Wolf Concert" https://scvnews.com/calarts-faculty-to-perform-in-apophenia-wolf-concert/ SCV News. 13 Jun 2019. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  17. ^ "New World Records". New World Records. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Aurogeny". Infrequent Seams. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  19. ^ "Panthalassa: Dream Music of the Once and Future Ocean". Infrequent Seams. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  20. ^ "Rewild". New World Records. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  21. ^ "Mountain Air". Indexicals. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  22. ^ "Ghost Ensemble: We Who Walk Again". Indexical. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  23. ^ Margasak, Peter. 21 Dec 2018. "The Best Contemporary Classical Albums of 2018" https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2018/the-best-contemporary-classical-albums-of-2018 Bandcamp Daily. 21 Dec 2018. Web. 18 Jan. 2020.
  24. ^ "Lightbulb Ensemble & Ghost Ensemble Live at Pioneer Works". Indexical. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  25. ^ "IMDB - The Dresden Dolls: In Paradise". IMDB. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
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