Dudley Benson
Encyclopedia
Dudley Benson is a composer, producer and performer from Aotearoa, New Zealand
. To date he has released two albums (The Awakening, Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne), three EPs, and performed two nationwide New Zealand tours (2008, 2010.) As an eleven-year old boy he was the soloist of the Christchurch Cathedral choir, and it has been noted that this period has influenced his work as an adult solo artist.
, New Zealand, in 1983. At ten years of age he was given a choral scholarship to the Christchurch Cathedral choir, a renowned Anglican church choir modelled on the English tradition and under the direction of the late David Childs. After three years he became the Head Soloist.
During this time Benson has said he had a strong interest in mainstream pop music, passed on to him by his older sister. Continuing to study choral singing through high school, Benson then went on to study composition for three years at the University of Canterbury’s school of music. Many of the songs on his future EPs were written during this time, and in an American literature paper Benson read The Awakening by Kate Chopin
, which would go on to be the title of his 2008 debut album.
After moving to Auckland in 2005, Benson released the handmade Steam Railways of Britain EP & The Orders, Medals & Decorations EP both in 2006, through his own label Golden Retriever Records. Selling out within their first month of release, Benson completed the trilogy with a 12” remix EP with remixes by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
and Stefanimal, and cover artwork by celebrated New Zealand painter Peter Stichbury
. Benson performed material from the EPs in clubs and bars in a solo setup with keyboard, glockenspiel and omnichord, however he became dissatisfied with playing in this environment. He has not performed in bars since. During this period he supported Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Animal Collective
.
In 2008 Benson released his self-produced debut LP The Awakening. Recorded by Adrian Hollay and mastered by Mandy Parnell, the album went on to be one of the most critically acclaimed New Zealand albums of the year. The Awakening’s success was further confirmed by a nationwide tour of New Zealand’s historic churches and cathedrals with an ensemble of choir, string quartet and taonga puoro authority Dr Richard Nunns. Also in 2008, Benson presented Whales! Everywhere!, a choral work for Barbara Morgenstern
’s Wassermusik festival in Berlin.
In 2009, Benson presented A Performance In Openness, a commission by the Auckland Art Gallery
in response to Te Papa’s Rita Angus
: Life & Vision retrospective, and published The Awakening: Supplementary Workbook. During this time he began studying te reo Maori and Maori political papers at the University of Auckland’s Maori Studies department. He graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Maori Studies.
In late 2010 inspired by his love for the waiata of renowned composer Hirini Melbourne
(Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) and the plight of Aotearoa’s native birdlife, Benson arranged his own interpretations of Melbourne’s bird songs and released his second full length album, Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne. Aside from the taonga puoro of guest artist Richard Nunns
, Forest was recorded using only the human voice, and features a close-harmony male vocal quartet, Aotearoa beatbox champion King Homeboy, bird mimic, four-part choir and folk matriarch Vashti Bunyan
. Benson performed the critically lauded Forest live on a ten-date marae and community hall tour, Live with the Dawn Chorus, with his all-vocal ensemble of alt-barbershoppers, Australian-based female beatboxer Hopey One, and maverick dance artist Cat Ruka. Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne was nominated for the 2011 Taite Music Prize, and was included in many critics’ ‘albums of the year’ lists.
In 2011 Benson was the Creative NZ and Department of Conservation Artist-in-Residence in Naseby
, Central Otago.
Currently based in Dunedin, Benson is developing several new projects, including a forthcoming release for November 2011.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. To date he has released two albums (The Awakening, Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne), three EPs, and performed two nationwide New Zealand tours (2008, 2010.) As an eleven-year old boy he was the soloist of the Christchurch Cathedral choir, and it has been noted that this period has influenced his work as an adult solo artist.
History
Benson was born in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand, in 1983. At ten years of age he was given a choral scholarship to the Christchurch Cathedral choir, a renowned Anglican church choir modelled on the English tradition and under the direction of the late David Childs. After three years he became the Head Soloist.
During this time Benson has said he had a strong interest in mainstream pop music, passed on to him by his older sister. Continuing to study choral singing through high school, Benson then went on to study composition for three years at the University of Canterbury’s school of music. Many of the songs on his future EPs were written during this time, and in an American literature paper Benson read The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty , was an American author of short stories and novels. She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century....
, which would go on to be the title of his 2008 debut album.
After moving to Auckland in 2005, Benson released the handmade Steam Railways of Britain EP & The Orders, Medals & Decorations EP both in 2006, through his own label Golden Retriever Records. Selling out within their first month of release, Benson completed the trilogy with a 12” remix EP with remixes by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone was the musical solo-project of musician Owen Ashworth of Redwood City, California.-History:Ashworth started CFTPA after he dropped out of film school in 1997...
and Stefanimal, and cover artwork by celebrated New Zealand painter Peter Stichbury
Peter Stichbury
Peter Stichbury, born Auckland 1969, is a New Zealand artist.Stichbury graduated from the Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland in 1997. He won New Zealand’s prestigious Wallace Art Awards the same year. Stichbury is primarily a painter but his body of work also spans the mediums of...
. Benson performed material from the EPs in clubs and bars in a solo setup with keyboard, glockenspiel and omnichord, however he became dissatisfied with playing in this environment. He has not performed in bars since. During this period he supported Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Animal Collective
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
.
In 2008 Benson released his self-produced debut LP The Awakening. Recorded by Adrian Hollay and mastered by Mandy Parnell, the album went on to be one of the most critically acclaimed New Zealand albums of the year. The Awakening’s success was further confirmed by a nationwide tour of New Zealand’s historic churches and cathedrals with an ensemble of choir, string quartet and taonga puoro authority Dr Richard Nunns. Also in 2008, Benson presented Whales! Everywhere!, a choral work for Barbara Morgenstern
Barbara Morgenstern
Barbara Morgenstern is a German electronic music artist who has released seven full-length albums and seven EPs.-Biography:...
’s Wassermusik festival in Berlin.
In 2009, Benson presented A Performance In Openness, a commission by the Auckland Art Gallery
Auckland Art Gallery
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand and has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand...
in response to Te Papa’s Rita Angus
Rita Angus
Rita Angus was a New Zealand painter born in Hastings. Along with Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston, she is credited as one of the leading figures in twentieth century New Zealand art...
: Life & Vision retrospective, and published The Awakening: Supplementary Workbook. During this time he began studying te reo Maori and Maori political papers at the University of Auckland’s Maori Studies department. He graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Maori Studies.
In late 2010 inspired by his love for the waiata of renowned composer Hirini Melbourne
Hirini Melbourne
Hirini Melbourne was a Māori composer, singer, university lecturer, poet and author. He was from Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Kahungunu Maori tribes.He is known in New Zealand for his work surrounding the revival of Māori culture...
(Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) and the plight of Aotearoa’s native birdlife, Benson arranged his own interpretations of Melbourne’s bird songs and released his second full length album, Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne. Aside from the taonga puoro of guest artist Richard Nunns
Richard Nunns
Richard Nunns QSM is a Māori traditional instrumentalist of Pākehā heritage. He is particularly known for playing the Taonga pūoro and his collaboration with fellow Māori instrumentalist Hirini Melbourne. Since Melbourne's death, he is regarded as the world's foremost authority on Māori...
, Forest was recorded using only the human voice, and features a close-harmony male vocal quartet, Aotearoa beatbox champion King Homeboy, bird mimic, four-part choir and folk matriarch Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan
Vashti Bunyan is an English singer-songwriter. In 1970, Bunyan released her first album, Just Another Diamond Day. The album sold very few copies, and Bunyan, discouraged, abandoned her musical career...
. Benson performed the critically lauded Forest live on a ten-date marae and community hall tour, Live with the Dawn Chorus, with his all-vocal ensemble of alt-barbershoppers, Australian-based female beatboxer Hopey One, and maverick dance artist Cat Ruka. Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne was nominated for the 2011 Taite Music Prize, and was included in many critics’ ‘albums of the year’ lists.
In 2011 Benson was the Creative NZ and Department of Conservation Artist-in-Residence in Naseby
Naseby
Naseby is a small village in the District of Daventry in Northamptonshire, England.The village is 14 mi north of Northampton, 13.3 mi northeast of Daventry, and 7 mi south of Market Harborough. It is 2.4 mi from Junction 2 of the A14 road, giving it access to the national road system...
, Central Otago.
Currently based in Dunedin, Benson is developing several new projects, including a forthcoming release for November 2011.
Discography
- Mushrooms & Toadstools EP, Limited edition of 100 (1 April, 2006)
- Steam Railways of Britain EP, Limited edition of 75 (26 July, 2006)
- The Orders, Medals & Decorations EP, Limited edition of 175 (14 November, 2006)
- Minerals & Rocks, 12" vinyl, Limited edition of 200 (15 November, 2007)
- The Awakening, (10 March, 2008)
- Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne, (1 November, 2010)