I consider the rich history of music, not only through the Western classical canon in which I am theoretically trained, but as a reflection of all the world’s cultures, with a deep knowing that all music possesses an inherent power to transform our human experience. 

Over four decades as a musician, composer and performer, I’ve worked and travelled extensively across Australia and abroad, deeply aware of the role music and art play in facilitating tangible social change, inclusion and healing.

Benjamin Skepper

Benjamin Skepper. Photo © Janarbek Amankulov

I grew up in Naarm/Melbourne, deeply embedded within my diverse linguistic and cultural background. My Australian-Japanese heritage has very much influenced my love for many different forms of art and music, from First Nations, local and diaspora artists.

This curiosity led me to travel the world to immerse myself in the sounds of other cultures, as I branched away from two decades in the classical music system and set out on a path of self-discovery and independent practice as a self-sustaining conceptual artist. 

While recognised as an avant-garde cellist, I am a multi-instrumentalist, having performed concertos on the piano and harpsichord. An avid proponent of...