Janek Schaefer

Janek Schaefer (born 1970) is an avant-garde artist, composer, musician and entertainer, known for performing and exhibiting his work with sound and installation art. He has collaborated with William Basinski, Philip Jeck, Stephan Mathieu, Chris Watson, Robert Hampson, and Charlemagne Palestine.

Janek Schaefer

Life and career

Schaefer was born in England to Polish and Canadian parents.[1] While studying architecture at the Royal College of Art, Schaefer recorded the fragmented noises of a sound activated dictaphone travelling overnight through the Post Office. That work, titled 'Recorded Delivery'[2] 1995 was made for the 'Self Storage' exhibition Time Out critics choice with one time postman Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson and Artangel.[3]

After graduating the RCA he invented the 'Tri-phonic Turntable'(1997) to create new music from discarded media and begin performing and touring live. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the 'World's Most Versatile Record Player'.[4] He has performed, lectured and exhibited in 30 countries throughout Europe (Sonar, Tate Modern, ICA), USA & Canada (The Walker, XI, Mutek, FIMAV, Princeton), and toured across Japan and Australia including performing at the Sydney Opera House(2003) [5]

His debut reverse play LP "His Masters Voices" was released in 1997 on his audiOh! Recordings label. The studio CD Above Buildings (2000) was released on Fat Cat and was CD of the week in The Guardian.[6] He has played in duos and released albums with Philip Jeck (Songs for Europe CD), Robert Hampson (Comae CD), Stephan Mathieu (Hidden Name CD) and Charlemagne Palestine (Day of the Demons LP), William Basinski ('... on reflection' LP).[7]

Schaefer is a Visiting Professor, having created www.foundsoundscape.com while undertaking a research fellowship at the Sonic Art Research Unit in Oxford in 2013/4.[8]

In 2008, using prize money from the Paul Hamlyn Award, he set up the all ages Lucky Dip Disco.[9]

In 2009 the Bluecoat gallery in Liverpool mounted a retrospective exhibition of his 20-year career to date.[2]

He lives and works at Narnia in Walton-on-Thames with two children, Scarlett and Phoenix.

Awards
Schaefer on the beach, 2016

2020: UK Best Mobile DJ award at the Event Entertainment Awards[10]

2008: Award for Sonic Art, British Composer of the Year, for "Extended Play" (triptych for the child survivors of war and conflict)'.[11]

2008: Paul Hamlyn Award for Composers prize.[12]

2004: Award of Distinction at Prix Ars Electronica, Austria, for random playing LP Skate[13]

2002: McKnight Composer in Residence, American Composers Forum[14]

1999: sound designer of the year, Creative Review magazine

1996: Royal College of Art Old Students Association Portfolio Prize, focusing on research intersection with architecture and sound and space.

1991: 1st Prize: Student Photography, Royal Institute of British Architects

Releases

Schaefer has released 35 albums, and runs his own label audiOh! Recordings.[15]

References
  1. "Janek Schaefer ← People ← Cafe OTO". Cafeoto.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  2. Bliss, Abi (1 April 2010). "Janek Schaefer" – via www.frieze.com.
  3. https://www.artangel.org.uk/project/self-storage/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "Most versatile record player". Guinness World Records.
  5. Discogs https://www.discogs.com/Janek-Schaefer-DJ-Olive-Lawrence-English-Three-By-Three-By-Three/release/11306125. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "Janek Schaefer – Above Buildings". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Janek Schaefer - Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "( ( ( foundsoundscape ) ) ) : created & curated by Janek Schaefer". www.foundsoundscape.com.
  9. "Lucky Dip Disco > You Pick The Hits > Funky Mobile Disco Party >". www.luckydipdisco.com.
  10. "2020 UK National Event Entertainment Awards". bookentertainment.co.uk.
  11. "British Composer of the Year Awards 2003 - Present". Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  12. "Previous recipients - Paul Hamlyn Foundation".
  13. "Ars Electronica Archive". 90.146.8.18. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  14. "McKnight Visiting Composer Residencies". American Composers Forum.
  15. "Janek Schaefer". Discogs. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
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