Benjamin Van Esser is a pianist, computer musician, improvisor and composer, focusing on contemporary and experimental music. Apart from artistic activities he’s a PhD researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, researcher and accompanist at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and teaches music technology and accompaniment at Kunstacademie Zaventem.
As a composer Benjamin was commissioned by organisations such as Transit Festival, Festival Voorwaarts Maart, Musikfestspiele Sanssouci, ensembles such as Nadar Ensemble, ChampdAction, Lunatree and several film directors and choreographers. As an improvisor he explores the coalescence of acoustics and electronics in a real-time environment.
Notwithstanding the myriad of idioms there's a clear 'leitmotiv' present throughout Benjamin's work : metrical ambiguity; In his compositions and improvisations, a 'trompe l'oreille' effect based on the parameter 'time' is always present. Benjamin’s PhD research on computer musician’s performance practice incorporates this phenomenon and focusses on the performance of these composed processes and the communication model they create between performer and audience.
As a composer Benjamin was commissioned by organisations such as Transit Festival, Festival Voorwaarts Maart, Musikfestspiele Sanssouci, ensembles such as Nadar Ensemble, ChampdAction, Lunatree and several film directors and choreographers. As an improvisor he explores the coalescence of acoustics and electronics in a real-time environment.
Notwithstanding the myriad of idioms there's a clear 'leitmotiv' present throughout Benjamin's work : metrical ambiguity; In his compositions and improvisations, a 'trompe l'oreille' effect based on the parameter 'time' is always present. Benjamin’s PhD research on computer musician’s performance practice incorporates this phenomenon and focusses on the performance of these composed processes and the communication model they create between performer and audience.