Reuben Lewis

Reuben Lewis’s practice is both singular and eclectic. As an active composer and producer, he has become widely known for his strong artistic vision and ability to bring people together. His latest studio album, titled Abstract Playgrounds, was released through Earshift Music and gained international acclaim – including a glowing review in ‘The Wire’ magazine and a nomination for the Best Australian Jazz Ensemble at the Bell Awards for his ensemble I Hold the Lion’s Paw (IHTLP). Other notable commissions include his multidisciplinary work Closed Beginnings in collaboration with poet Tariro Mavondo and artistic director of the Australian Art Orchestra Peter Knight, which premiered as a live-stream concert in 2020 and was subsequently reimagined as a full-length album and nominated for an APRA AMCOS/AMC Art Music Award. i know that i know, which premiered at the 2017 Melbourne Festival with the ensemble ACME, as well as the Instagram work The World Died Today While You Were On Your Phone commissioned by the Art, Not Apart Festival for I Hold the Great Rack in 2020. Reuben’s long-standing association with the Australian Art Orchestra and internationally renowned dancer/choreographer Tony Yap has seen him regularly premiere new collaborative works across Australia, Europe, UK, Canada and Southeast Asia. Other acclaimed cross-disciplinary collaborative projects include Inflorescence with visual artist Dianne Fogwell, Waterfalls Plunge into The Abyss by Bambang N Karim, Memoir for Rivers and The Dictator by Lilian Steiner, and the 24-hour concert Silent Towns by the Phonetic Orchestra, which was nominated for an APRA AMCOS/AMC Art Music Award in 2021.