Giles Perring

Musician (guitar, percussion...), composer, record producer, sonic sculptor born in 1961. Since the turn of the 80's, Giles Perring has explored a variety of musical arenas and media, working in diverse projects ranging from rock to contemporary classical music, electronica to free jazz, sound design to world music. In 1983, as a percussionist and instrument inventor he was founder, with long time collaborator Guy Evans, of Echo City, going on to produce pioneering performances, based on a manifesto of providing access to music making for all, that won acclaim in the UK, North America, the Far East and Europe. He has worked as a 'hired gun' at various points in his career. In the 80's he spent two years as electric guitarist and percussionist for electronica's enfant terrible Fad Gadget, he played with an incarnation of Van Der Graaf Generator in the 90's and in 2004 he performed with Damo Suzuki of Can. Following his time in Fad Gadget, he collaborated with the band's drummer Nick Cash to record and release a series of records via their studio project Unmen. On the London free improvised music scene, he performs on electric guitar in a number of contexts including Ya Basta whose line-up includes Alan Wilkinson and a collaboration, 'Something Secret' with Carol Grimes. Since 1998 he has worked with London based choir The Shout in a role which might be described as 'percussionist'. From this relationship has stemmed a number of performances with Shout composer Richard Chew, including Unearth at the MAC in Birmingham in 2004. Giles writes and composes music for radio, TV and film. He has also branched out into production and works regularly in the field of multimedia with digital text artist John Cayley and, in addition to numerous web based projects. Since 2001 he has developed a multimedia performance project, 'The Exchange', an event for a live musician and telephone callers, which he most recently presented as a commission for Modern Art Oxford in 2003. Other works include a sound art and choral piece for Stans Café Theatre at the 2006 Creative Partnership's National Conference; a sound installation with Melanie Pappenheim for the Artists In The City sound work in Reading; a 30 minute dance score for former Merce Cunningham collaborator Emma Diamond; a commission for Sarum Chamber Orchestra performed in March 2008. In 2011, he was commissioned to compose for the Closing Ceremony of the Tall Ships race in Stavanger and to be Artistic Director of the event.