Ashley Hribar is an Australian born pianist-composer-curator with a deep interest in contemporary aesthetics. Hailed as “a brilliant pianist and exceptional artist” (Heilbronner Stimme Stuttgart), Ashley’s projects embrace multimedia, world music, cross-disciplinary art forms and traditional genres. His compositions may be described as ‘poly-stylistic collages’ often employing extended performance techniques, voice and electronics.
Recent works include: “Elements” for piano and electronics (2022) for Monica Garcia Vicente (contemporary dance company Hannover, Germany); “Wodunga” (2020) – for didgeridoo, piano and Moog DFAM in collaboration with William Barton (commissioned by ArtsSA/Stiftung Niedersachsen) and “Faust: a Mortal’s Tale” a contemporary melodrama of spoken text based on Goethe’s classic tale interwoven with classical / popular works from Franz Liszt to Radiohead. Other notable works include “Paganini Variations“, “A Night in the Outback” for piano and didgeridoo and “Cadenza for George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue“ and “Betty Rettet die Volksbühne” performed with actress Bettina Lamprecht. Ashley was the curator of Sound and Colour in Scriabin’s Piano Sonatas (2017 European tour immersive projections of Australian opals.
An avid lover of the silent film genre, Ashley has been commissioned by Silents Now (U.K.), Silent Remasters, The Tallis Foundation, The Dranoff Foundation and the Goethe Institute Australia to perform his own soundtracks to silent films. These include Sherlock Jnr. (1924), Hamlet (1921), Richard III (1911), Faust (1926) and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) and recently with critical acclaim, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) for his 2020 Australian Tour.
Ashley is the recipient of numerous prizes including 1st prize at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition (2005) and the Michael Kieran-Harvey Award (2008). He has performed in numerous festivals and distinguished venues including: Le Vivier Festival Montreal (2022) Gaudeamus Week, Ultima Festival, Beethovenfest, Schwetzinger Festspiele, Port Fairy Spring Festival, Sydney Opera House (Australia), Adrienne Arsht Center (Miami), Bunka Kaikan Theatre (Tokyo), Melbourne Recital Centre and the 2020 World Expo Dubai.
Recent albums include: Faust: A Mortal’s Tale (2021) for solo piano and Sleeping Orchards (2019) – neo-classical works with cellist Richard Vaudrey as “Two Deep Breaths”. Other albums include The Wizard Tone Records Improvisation Series I (nominated for the 2017 South Australian Arts Awards), Piano Rhapsody (2012) for solo piano (Auster Records, 2012) and ensemble collaborations Echohaus (Dekorder, 2009) and Alpenglühen (2008, Col Legno).
Ashley holds a PhD from the university of Adelaide and frequently gives seminars on contemporary music.
Photo – Yoshi Toscani
Full bio at www.ashleyhribar.com