Corrina Bonshek

BIOGRAPHY

Corrina Bonshek is an Australian composer whose music has been described as ‘beautifully shaped and contemplative’ (Clare MacClean, 2013) and ‘deeply spiritual in intent’ (Anne Boyd, 2002). She graduated with PhD in Contemporary Arts in 2007 from University of Western Sydney, where she was the first student to divide her submission equally between a compositional portfolio and a musicological thesis.

Corrina is equally comfortable writing music for concert hall as multi-art form settings. She has produced music art events for the Centennial Park Sydney’s The Light Garden Festival (2013), National Trust Heritage Festival (2005). HerReverie series of audio-visual installations, co-created with visual artist Anna Bonshek was exhibited in India, and screened in Australia, UK and USA. Her latest work Journey to the Centre is permanently installed at Centennial Park Sydney’s new public labyrinth and can be heard by streaming or download via mobile phone. This piece, alongside her birdsong- inspired chamber music, was the subject of radio feature for ABC Radio National’s The Spirit of Things. Her music is featured on Charisma Ensemble’s soon to be released CD of chamber music by Australian Women Composers. She is currently writing music for Ady Ensemble and Pipa player Chen Yu Rong.

Composer website: http://www.bonmusic.com.au

FEATURED WORKS

As Small Birds Play, for Bb Clarinet and birdcalls.

Inspired by birdcalls, Japanese Gagaku, this meditative duo for nature sounds and clarinet evokes the feeling of being at one with nature. The bird calls were recorded by Corrina Bonshek in Capertee Valley, NSW.

Featured in Playlist 6: Meditative Waves, 30/06/15

Journey to the Centre, for string quartet and nature sounds.

I composed this piece for visitors to Sydney’s Centennial Park Labyrinth to listen to while walking the labyrinth. This labyrinth is single sandstone path with no dead ends, that can be used as a path for walking meditation. This music was written to help settle the mind and open the heart on your labyrinth walk.

Featured in Playlist 2: Other-Wordly Waves, 28/2/2015

Reverie I, for quadraphonic audio.

Reverie I is part of a larger series of video-art works exploring meditative states of consciousness.

It was created as 8 minute dual screen video installation with quadraphonic sound.

Featured in Spoken Waves September 2016

The Nature of Silence, for 2 vocalists, Khlui (Thai flute), Saw Dueng (fiddle), Ching (finger cymbal)

Find your inner zen with this piece inspired by meditative experience of silence. It explores two qualities of silence – a floating, pulsing silence (like waves on an ocean) – and, an immovable, all-encompassing silence (like viewing the scenery from a mountain top).

Special thanks to Koji Nakano for inviting me to participate in 2015 Experimental Thai Music Laboratory and Burapha University Faculty of Performing Arts, and Thararat Paiboontanasombat for translating and assisting me throughout my residency.

Featured in Dream Waves December 2017