Johan Beavis Berry — UK New Artists

Johan Beavis Berry is a recent music graduate from the University of Surrey, specialising in site specific work, found sounds and soundscape and the effective blending of these mediums with more conventional musical instrumentation/synthesis. Their thesis focused on the creation of a 'musically enhanced' soundwalk around the university campus, where key sociospatial, environmental and acoustic phenomena were highlighted through immersive live musical performances along a carefully considered route. Berry’s interest is increasingly turning towards folk culture and the preservation of tradition and locality, with ongoing project ideas including capturing the ambience of abandoned local churches as well as spoken word work with the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire dialect. Additionally, they are in the process of setting poems by lesser-known victorian poet A.E. Housman to music, interspersed with rural soundscapes. In a 'contemporary classical' sphere, Berry seeks to draw attention to topical issues - e.g. a piece for choir and bees to highlight environmental threats to pollinators. Stylistic eclecticism is central to their work.

UKNA Projects:

Taking Place: Lincoln - New Artist Collective