About
Associate Professor Damien Ricketson is a composer and academic at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. His research explores vibration, non-cochlear listening, and the intersection of sound with environmental and interdisciplinary studies. He holds affiliations with the Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney Nano Institute, and Charles Perkins Centre. Ricketson co-founded Ensemble Offspring (1995–2015), a Sydney-based new music ensemble, and has created works performed globally by ensembles like Sydney Symphony Fellows and MusikFabrik (Germany). His projects include Sound Touch (2022), an immersive work on vibration and the body, and The Howling Girls (2018), an opera addressing trauma through sound.
Education:
- PhD in Composition, Sydney Conservatorium of Music (2007)
- Masters/Composition studies at Royal Conservatory of The Hague (with Louis Andriessen)
- IRCAM computer music course (Paris)
Research Interests:
His work focuses on multisensory music experiences, environmental soundscapes, and technology-driven sensory interfaces. Collaborations with Diana Chester (sound studies scholar) explore human-environment connections through sound, resulting in installations exhibited internationally.
Article Trends: Recent publications emphasize interdisciplinary projects merging sound with environmental science (e.g., Sound Touch), while earlier works focus on percussive innovation (Chinese Whisper) and chamber opera (The Howling Girls).
Awards:
- International Music Theatre Now Prize (2018)
- Art Music Awards: Vocal/Choral Work (2019)
- NSW Composition Award (2008)
Advising & Grants: Current students research topics like climate change temporality and virtual heritage representation. Grants include Sydney Environment Institute funding for Listening to the Earth (2022) and Australia Council support for Sound Touch development (2019).
Labs/Teams: Co-directs Listening to Earth project with Diana Chester, and collaborates with Ensemble Offspring on archival and performance initiatives.
