Robert Mackay

United Kingdom

Rob Mackay is a composer, sound artist and performer. He gained a degree in Geology and Music at the University of Keele, studying composition there with Mike Vaughan, before going on to complete a Master's and PhD with Andrew Lewis at the University of Wales, Bangor.

Rob's main area of research is in electroacoustic composition and sound art. Recent projects have moved towards a cross-disciplinary approach, including theatre, audio/visual installation work, and human/computer interaction. His work has received over 140 performances in 16 countries (including several performances on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 1).

He has held composer residences at Slovak Radio (Bratislava), La Muse en Circuit (Paris), the Tyrone Guthrie Arts Center (Ireland), and Habitación del Ruido (Mexico City).

He has played, written and produced in a number of bands including the Welsh Hip-Hop collective Tystion with whom he collaborated alongside John Cale on the film A Beautiful Mistake (Film 4), as well as recording two John Peel sessions on BBC Radio 1 and supporting PJ Harvey. The band have a chapter devoted to them in Sarah Hill's book 'Blerwytirhwng?' The Place of Welsh Pop Music (Ashgate 2007).

More recently, he has done session work for Super Furry Animals producer Gorwel Owen, songwriter Euros Childs, and is enjoying playing in the Welsh Afrobeat collective Drymbago, supporting Quantic at a recent gig.

He is currently collaborating with percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie on the Ruskin Rocks project, led by a team of scientists and musicians at Leeds University who have created two new stone instruments (lithophones): www.leeds.ac.uk/ruskinrocks.