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Ben Dunham-5.heic

Ben Dunham

Artistic Statement

Music is a powerful force that shapes and communicates memories.  The sounds of a beautiful melody, raging percussion, or any balance of many musical ideas create imprints in each individual’s subconscious.  These sonic imprints collectively form our worldview and our connection to one another as human beings.

 

As a composer and improviser my job is to create experiences and memories, finding creative outlets to connect with others.  I attempt to think of the consequences of every note and the power that a note or chord can hold.  It can be surprising, predictable, satisfying, unsatisfying, aggressive, or light; nevertheless, the intentionality of music is integral to the connections found within human nature.  I believe that music transcends barriers of language, culture, and time, speaking directly to the core of our shared humanity. Through both composition and improvisation, I strive to create moments that connect us, capturing the vast spectrum of human experience—both the monumental and the fleeting—and uniting us through the memories embedded within each piece.

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Longer Biography

Composer, Vibraphonist, and Improviser Ben Dunham (b. 2002) strives to create music that reflects both his environment and personal experiences, spanning a wide range of genres and mediums.  By consistently creating and learning, Ben seeks to evolve his style and aesthetic through ongoing reflection and inspiration from contemporary musical trends.

 

Recent works include “The Sixth Stream”, a work commissioned by the University of Miami All-Stamps Ensemble which reinterprets and transforms Third-Stream Music into the 21st Century.  Ben also collaborated with pianist Renato Diz on “Glass”, a new work for solo piano that integrates inside and prepared piano techniques, in addition to traditional playing.  Other works have been performed by groups such as The Rhythm Method, The _____ Experiment, Peridot Duo, and the USF Percussion Ensemble. 

 

As a jazz vibraphonist, Ben has performed at prestigious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Maurice Gusman Hall, Scope Art Gallery (Art Basel-Miami), the Clearwater Jazz Festival, Lucas Theater, the Suncoast Jazz Festival, as well as WDNA and WUSF Radio Stations.  He has worked with renowned artists such as Etienne Charles, John Daversa, Camille Thurman, and Darrell Green, and has performed in a wide range of jazz styles including straight-ahead, contemporary, fusion, and avant-garde. In September of 2023, he released his debut album, Homesick, including seven original compositions and two arrangements of standards.  Ben also leads the Ben Dunham Trio and has recorded with numerous artists in Miami.

 

Dunham’s awards and recognitions include an Emerging Composer recognition in the Young Composer Competition from Tribeca New Music (2024), two DownBeat Student Awards (2021), YoungArts (2021), and the PCMEA New Music Festival (2021).  He is currently completing his Bachelor of Music in Music Theory & Composition at the Frost School of Music, where he studies under Dr. Donald Scott Stinson.

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