Ben Vida

Ben Vida (*1974) is a composer, improviser and artist. His work explores aural phenomena, language, durations and systems. He became involved with Chicago’s multi-faceted experimental music scene in the 1990’s. There he co-founded the minimalist quartet Town & Country and released solo records under the moniker Bird Show. When Vida relocated to Brooklyn in the Mid-2000’s he shifted his focus to electronics and systems based compositions which utilized psycho-acoustics, aural phenomena and advanced synthesis techniques. Further he began showing his works for video, text and sound installation in galleries and arts institutions. Since 2015 he has been composing pieces that combine his interest in experimental writing with his love of singing with people. His latest piece, »Always Already« (2020), scored for ensemble, electronics and voices, has been created in collaboration with the YarnWire ensemble and vocalist, Nina Dante. It has been performed in New York and Chicago. Besides his solo work he has developed recent duo projects with Marina Rosenfeld, Lucio Capece and Lea Bertucci.

Vida has released his music with many wonderful labels including Shelter Press and 901Editions. His work has been featured in Artforum, The Quietus, The New York Times, Art Review, The Wire, WIRED Magazine among others.

Vida has been touring and presenting his pieces for over 20 years, performing in venues such as the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, the MCA in Chicago, Performa Biennial in NYC, Berghain in Berlin, the Unsound Festival at the Cricoteka Museum in Kraków, the Sydney Opera House, and INA/GRM in Paris. Since 2017 Ben Vida is teaching at Brooklyn College in their Sonic Arts MFA program.