about
With a focus on contemplative sound art practices, ‘a noisy silence’ gathers together the various solo and collaborative projects of musician and sound artist Richard Bentley.
Richard Bentley (Sound Artist and Researcher)
Listening is at the heart of my practice, listening for the sacred in the mundane. As a sound artist my work explores contemplative listening and sound art practices, inviting others to foster awareness of the soundscape and cultivate a playful relationship with their own sound-making. I collaborate with fellow artists and like-minded organisations to develop participatory workshops, soundwalks, audio tours, e-health initiatives and a range of music and sound works.
I have a PhD in Sound Arts following a Masters Degree in Community Arts at Goldsmith's University of London and have spent the last nine years working as a sound artist and musician for clients such as The Woodland Trust, Historic England, Crisis, Reading University, Royal Berkshire NHS Trust, Intelligent Health, The Roald Dahl Museum, Nature Nurture, The Annual Daydream Harvest, Beautiful Creatures and Festive Road. I am a qualified lecturer (Cert. Ed. and FHEA) with twenty years teaching experience and an ambassador for Hush City App, Silent Space and UK representative for Quiet Parks International.
Collaborators
Natalie Ganpatsingh (Director Nature Nurture CIC)
Natalie believes that connecting people with the wild spaces within our towns and cities is crucial to building strong, happy, healthy communities who care about each other and the environment. Her award-winning social enterprise, Nature Nurture CIC collaborates with the conservation, heritage, health and education sectors to achieve positive outcomes for people and the planet. She also works as ‘Nature Lead’ for Dr. William Bird’s company, Intelligent Health, helping to re-wild communities across the UK.
Nino Auricchio (Musician and Producer)
Nino has worked for Sony Music, BMG and numerous dance and soul labels. Nino has had success as part of the funk act Funkshone, releasing records globally through Skyline Records, P-Vine in Japan with work remixed by Kenny Dope Gonzalez. Nino composes library music and has work licensed by Red Bull for the World BBoy Championships and the US film, Growing Reason. Nino is a senior lecturer in sound engineering at the University of West London and is undertaking a PhD in electronic music composition.
Aundre Goddard (Creative Director)
Aundre is a theatre maker, educator and creative practitioner. He holds a master’s degree in Performance Practices from De Montfort University and believes the most interesting things happen in between spaces. He is currently the Creative Director of Berzerk Productions, a drama company that has been supporting young people in Reading and South Oxfordshire since 1994. His goal is to create the next generation of creatives and open young people up to the weird and wonderful world of performance.
Nisha Anil (Theatre-Maker and TV Presenter)
Nisha's career ranges in live Performance, Theatre, Visual art, Film and T.V; having worked as an Actress, Arts Manager, Storyteller, Workshop Facilitator, Artist Mentor and as a Children’s T.V. Presenter for CBeebies Worldwide Asia and the UK. She has also worked in various creative capacities in her local town; within the regional arts community for Slough Museum, The Curve, Resource Productions, Creative Junction, Home Slough, 101 Arts Creation Space in Newbury, Third Angel in Sheffield, Beautiful Creatures Theatre and the Merl in Reading.
Sam Proctor (Mastering and Music Production)
Sam has had a varied career as a sound engineer, musician and educator which has lead to the formation of his audio mastering studio, Lismore Mastering where he undertakes mastering work alongside mixing and audio production. He continues to be passionate about music education after leaving his role as Senior Lecturer in Music Technology at University of West London where he taught for over a decade and has recently begun teaching at University of Huddersfield.
Matthew Foster (Musician)
Matt is a musician, educator and music producer who has been working in the south of England for over 20 years. He is Head of Academy for local music charity The Rock Academy Foundation and regularly works with young people on creative sound-based projects. Matt studied popular music at Bretton Hall College and, following a move to Berkshire, he taught music and music technology at Reading College for 14 years. He continues to teach at Newbury College alongside his work with The Rock Academy and Readipop and his national performance and recording work with Ma Bessie and her Pig Foot band.
Liz is the founder of not for profit Silent Space - a project encouraging beautiful parks and gardens open to the public to reserve an area for silent visiting. Taking time out to stroll quietly or to sit and reflect, we can engage more deeply with the sights and sounds of nature. At the same time and in a very gentle way, we also engage with ourselves. Liz is a freelance garden writer and historian, writing on all aspects of gardens but with a particular interest in their relationship to health.