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News & Updates

Projects

In May I will be spending time in Yogyakarta for a creative development with the incredible duo, Senyawa, and Australian collaborators, Lawrence English and Aviva Endean. We will be working towards creating a live from our COVID album project, The Prey and the Ruler, which was released in 2022 on ROOM40.

TLDR at Jazzlab Melbourne in March 2024

TLDR - Wednesdays 6, 13, 20, 27 March at Jazzlab

THEO CARBO guitar, HELEN SVOBODA bass/voice, PETER KNIGHT trumpet/electronics, QUINN KNIGHT drums

With weekly guests including, Adam Halliwell (bass guitar), Lucky Pereira (drum kit) Aaron Choulai (sampler, piano)

TICKETS

Mokuy by Hand to Earth available now from ROOM40

Hand to Earth released a new mini album, Mokuy, on the iconic Australian label, Room40. Produced by Lawrence English it explores a different side to the group.
soaring soundscapes, riding woodwind waves beyond the horizon, buoying spiraling, utterly captivating vocal… FOXY DIGITALIS

Scoring for Portuguese/French feature, Loin de la Route

I have completed the score for a stunning feature in production, Loin de la Route, which is about French artist, Paul Gaugin, in Tahiti directed by Hugo Vieira Da Silva.

Swing Bridge released on Mode Records

Swing Bridge featuring first recordings of Alvin Lucier produced by Peter Knight for Australian Art Orchestra, Austin Buckett soloist, now out on ModeBandcamp Best Releases. Named in Bandcamp Best Contemporary Classical Releases

Score for new Australian feature film, Kid Snow

Last year I completed the score for a new Australian feature in collaboration on some of the cues with Bad Seed, Warren Ellis. Kid Snow is an Australian film shot in Kalgoorlie and directed by Paul Goldman (Suburban Mayhem, Australian Rules). It stars Billy Howle and Phoebe Tonkin. It will be screened later in 2024.

'1988' OzAsia Festival Five Star reviews

Five star reviews for ‘1988’ at OzAsia Festival on 24th October

“While 1988 told of Nguyễn’s personal experience as an immigrant, it was a concert of unique and exquisite music, brilliantly arranged and performed.” * * * * * LIMELIGHT

“Well-deserving of the enthusiastic standing ovation it garnered.” * * * * * GLAM ADELAIDE

Shadow Phase named in Headphone Commute Best of 2022

New solo album, Shadow Phase, featuring Tony Buck & Fia Fiell out on Room40. Named is Headphone Commute Best of 2022. Read Peter’s words on making of Shadow Phase here

Crossed & Recrossed on Hospital Hill

“Like a heart straining to contain more happiness than it was built to hold.” Bandcamp Best Jazz August 2021 Out now on Hospital Hill. Limited ed vinyl available.

Peter Knight - composer/trumpeter/Film composer/curator

Perpetually curious, Peter Knight’s practice exists in the spaces between categories, between genres, and between cultures.

In recent years Peter has emerged as a significant international force in contemporary music, initiating commissions, collaborations, and performances with a diverse range of artists including recently, Anthony Braxton (USA), as a soloist with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Nicole Lizée (Canada), Amir ElSaffar (USA), Daniel Wilfred (Arnhem Land), Senyawa (Indonesia), Baliphonics (Sri Lanka), Hyelim Kim (Korea/UK), Paul Grabowsky (Australia), Aviva Endean, Tony Buck, and Alvin Lucier (USA). He has performed his music at some of the most significant festivals and venues in the world including: London Jazz Festival, Pierre Boulez Saal (Berlin), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, JazzFest Berlin, Soundstreams (Toronto), PuSh Festival (Vancouver) Sydney Festival, WOMADelaide, Earshot (Seattle) and National Forum of Music (Wroclaw, Poland).

From 2013 - 2023 Peter was the Artistic Director and co-CEO of Australia’s leading contemporary music ensemble, the Australian Art Orchestra. Under his leadership the organisation thrived artistically winning multiple awards and accolades (including the 2022 AMC Art Music Luminary Award for Organisation), and touring to some of the most significant festivals and venues in the world.

His current touring projects include Hand to Earth which features Yolngu traditional songkeepers, Daniel and David Wilfred, and which was nominated for an ARIA Award in 2022.

Peter has released 18 albums of his music on various labels including in 2022 a solo album, Shadow Phase, on the iconic Room40 label (named in Headphone Commute Best of 2022). He composes for film and recently completed the score for soon to be released Australian feature, Kid Snow, in collaboration with Warren Ellis. He also composes for contemporary theatre, most notably with acclaimed performer/director, Tamara Saulwick (Chamber Made).

Peter has won numerous awards, nominations, and fellowships including the Albert H. Maggs Composition Prize (2017), several AMC Art Music Awards, Bell Jazz Awards, Green Room Theatre Awards, and an Australia Council Music Fellowship (2013). He holds a doctorate from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and was named its Alumnus of the Year in 2013.

“A sonic world of wonder, warmth, and possibility.” The Saturday Paper (review of Shadow Phase)

“Solos here were like songlines, not paving superhighways through a compositional infrastructure but leaving faint footprints in a soundscape that evolved as organically as an ecosystem.” Downbeat

“Hard to categorise… hauntingly memorable” The Wire (UK)

“Hand to Earth is a truly exquisite album” * * * * * Songlines Magazine (UK)

“If trumpet is an element then Knight is an alchemist.” New York City Jazz Record

Full CV here

Media portfolio

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Watch

Edited version of solo concert at Copenhagen Jazzhouse 6th of September, 2014

The Mini Masterclass Series features musicians from our pool of amazing AAO collaborators and digs deep into specific musical and technical topics, providing...

We had originally planned the Closed Beginnings premiere performance as part of our series at MPavillion in collaboration with Monash University Museum of Ar...

Australian Art Orchestra with Nicole Lizée under the direction of Peter Knight. Metropolis New Music Festival 2016

A solo improvisation I recorded in my studio recently using the Revox reel-to-reel with my trumpet, along with some cymbals and found percussion. I'm also us...

Performance of Peter Knight's composition, The Plains, inspired by Gerald Murnane. Performance by the Australian Art Orchestra with Julia Reidy at JazzFest B...

Mini doc about Crossed & Recrossed, out now on Hospital Hill

To mark the Australian Art Orchestra's 25th anniversary, we're presenting the Solo Series: a monthly video release that puts the spotlight on one of the twel...

Repurposing the omnipresent portable device, Alter is an audio-visual installation for 16 iPads and 16 people in a delicate meditation on invisible systems and interconnectedness. Created by Tamara Saulwick & Peter Knight, in collaboration with Martyn Coutts and Steve Berrick, Commissioned by Arts House and premiered at the 2016 Festival of Live Art.