Julian Knowles
Encyclopedia
Julian Knowles is an Australian composer and performer, specialising in new and emerging technologies. His creative work spans the fields of composition for theatre, dance, film and television, electronic music, sound and new media arts, popular music and record production. Since the mid-1980s, he has established himself as a prominent artist in the area of electronic and new music, achieving significant critical recognition for his performances and recordings.
Although working primarily as a solo artist, he has been a member of the experimental sound art ensemble Social Interiors since the early 90s and has collaborated with a wide range of Australian and international artists. In recent years, his work has been presented at venues and events such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
, Experimental Intermedia in New York City, the Seoul International Performance Art Festival, The Melbourne International Film Festival
, What Is Music
, Electrofringe
, the Sydney Opera House
, the International Computer Music Conference
, and a range of major arts venues.
Knowles has an extensive background in the popular music area, having been involved in the Australian and UK independent music scenes from the mid 1980s onwards as a performer, programmer and producer in bands such as The Shrinking Violets
(guitar, keyboards, production), Even As We Speak
(guitar, keyboards, production) and Dutiful Daughters (bass guitar); Even As We Speak achieved multiple top 10s in the UK independent charts (NME/Melody Maker) during the 1990s. The band were one of only five Australian bands ever to record radio sessions with British DJ, John Peel
, on BBC Radio 1
. He also appeared as a guest artist on releases by Big Heavy Stuff
and Swirl
.
In 1994 Knowles took up a position on the foundation staff of a new music program at the University of Western Sydney
. In this role he established and steered a new major in music technology and played a key role in the establishment of the Electronic Arts program. In 2002, he was appointed to the position of Head of the School of Contemporary Arts. In 2005 he was appointed Professor of Music and Head, School of Music and Drama at the University of Wollongong
. In 2007 he took up a position as Professor in Music at the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology
where he is the co-director of the Independent Music Project and a researcher within the Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation.
Since 2007, Knowles has been Chair of Q Music, the peak body for the music industry in Queensland and a director of the Music Council of Australia
. From 2003-2007, he was a member of the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government's Arts funding and advisory body.
Although working primarily as a solo artist, he has been a member of the experimental sound art ensemble Social Interiors since the early 90s and has collaborated with a wide range of Australian and international artists. In recent years, his work has been presented at venues and events such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
, Experimental Intermedia in New York City, the Seoul International Performance Art Festival, The Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
, What Is Music
What Is Music
What Is Music is an experimental music festival held in Australia. It originally emerged in Sydney in 1994 as a platform to expose unusual contemporary musical forms that were otherwise unknown to the general public at that point in time...
, Electrofringe
Electrofringe
Electrofringe is a festival of digital, electronic and new media arts. Its focus is on emergent forms and techniques within media based arts practice and places a particular emphasis on encouraging young and emerging artists to interact with established artists...
, the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
, the International Computer Music Conference
International Computer Music Conference
The International Computer Music Conference is a yearly international conference for computer music researchers and composers. It is the annual conference of the International Computer Music Association ....
, and a range of major arts venues.
Knowles has an extensive background in the popular music area, having been involved in the Australian and UK independent music scenes from the mid 1980s onwards as a performer, programmer and producer in bands such as The Shrinking Violets
The Shrinking Violets
The Shrinking Violets was a band from Sydney, Australia . They recorded with Phantom RecordsMembers*Marcus Clement: Vocals, Guitar*Julian Knowles: Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards...
(guitar, keyboards, production), Even As We Speak
Even As We Speak
Even As We Speak is an indie band from Sydney, Australia. The lineup changed over the years and with founding members Matthew Love , Mary Wyer and Rob Irwin joined later by Anita Raynor , Paul Clarke and Julian Knowles...
(guitar, keyboards, production) and Dutiful Daughters (bass guitar); Even As We Speak achieved multiple top 10s in the UK independent charts (NME/Melody Maker) during the 1990s. The band were one of only five Australian bands ever to record radio sessions with British DJ, John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. He also appeared as a guest artist on releases by Big Heavy Stuff
Big Heavy Stuff
- Overview :Big Heavy Stuff is a four-piece band, featuring Greg Atkinson , Carolyn Polley , Eliot Fish and Nick Kennedy . The band was established in 1990 and is with the recording label Redline Records...
and Swirl
Swirl (band)
Swirl were a Sydney, Australia-based indie rock band, forming around 1990 and breaking up in 2002. They released three albums and a number of EP's, mostly through independent Sydney label Half A Cow.-History:...
.
In 1994 Knowles took up a position on the foundation staff of a new music program at the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. In this role he established and steered a new major in music technology and played a key role in the establishment of the Electronic Arts program. In 2002, he was appointed to the position of Head of the School of Contemporary Arts. In 2005 he was appointed Professor of Music and Head, School of Music and Drama at the University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong is a public university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney...
. In 2007 he took up a position as Professor in Music at the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
where he is the co-director of the Independent Music Project and a researcher within the Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation.
Since 2007, Knowles has been Chair of Q Music, the peak body for the music industry in Queensland and a director of the Music Council of Australia
Music Council of Australia
The Music Council of Australia is a national peak music organisation for Australia. It is the official Australian representative to the UNESCO world peak music organization, the International Music Council , Paris...
. From 2003-2007, he was a member of the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Government's Arts funding and advisory body.