Kazuya Matsumoto

Musician, sound artist, drummer.

With the percussionist background, Matsumoto uses his experience through playing and listening to environmental sounds, using non instrumental objects such as found objects, nature, body and devices for various sound expressions.

He aims to break the boundaries between his output and the surrounding environmental sounds to explore deep listening improvisation expressions.

Previously he has released 3 albums “Mizu No Katachi (2015)”, “OchiruChiruMichiru (2017)” and “Mujo (2022)” from the renown SPEKK label.

Aside from creating music by improvising with the unpredictable nature, he also compose music for films, visual works, plays and commercial facilities.

He also tours throughout Japan for performances including tour “Listen to the sound of people” tour which is aimed to just meet acquainted people without doing any performances within the COVID-19 situation, space exhibitions and sound installations, site-specific exhibitions (residing and using the sound of that space).

He also participates in the performance group Busstrio lead by Yuichiro Konno. He is also the executive committee member of the Ashi No Geijutsu Genya Festival held in Shiretoko Peninsula from 2021, always pursuing expressions based on sounds.

<2013>

Awarded the grand prix at the “Otokuchi” project (a project in relation with the Setonaikai International Art Festival).

<2015>

Releases 1st solo album “Mizu no Katachi” (SPEKK) on December 25th.

<2016>

Performs at DOMMUNE’s program “The historical most silent 5 hours event 5 EARwitness – sound splashing BLACK BOX “Mizu no Katachi release special -” and DOMMUNE organizer Naohiro Ukawa speaks highly of the show as one of the best on air.

<2017>

First exhibition “Nakagin Capsule Tower ~ OPEN CELL 2017” at the Nakagin Capsule Tower Buildling which is architect Kisho Kurokawa’s masterpiece.

Releases 2nd album “Ochiruchirumichiru” (SPEKK) on June 25th.

Tours around all 47 prefectures in Japan, over 100 shows as part of the “Ochiruchirumichiru release tour”.

<2018>

Provides music for Nao Yoshikai’s exhibition “Bouquet / For the now most beautiful ones” held at the “Open Space 2018 In Transition” (ICC).

Site-specific exhibition“Moment/Memento” at chago/Residence Gallery, Osaka.

“Black and White Ghosts” performance at the Daichi No Geijutsu Sai, Echigo-tsumari Art Triennale as Busstrio + Kazuya Matsumoto. The same performance was also held at Kanazawa 21 century museum as part of the cultural exchange project.

Participates in the residence program “Open Grindhouse” by Kichijoji theatre and Busstrio.

<2019>

Sound performance tour “Tetsusayuru”.

“Grand Bouquet” by Nao Yoshikai (Kazuya provided music in 2018) was officially invited to the Cannes Film Festival Week.

Participates in Setonaikai International Art Festival 2019’s DOMMUNE SETOUCHI “DOMMUNE presents ‘Non instrument performer Kazuya Matsumoto’s world’”.

Exhibition based on the theme listening and documenting inaudible sounds “Moment/Memento” at the closing of 20 years of history elfish (Kyoto) .

<2020>

Records and provides music for the Nao Yoshikai x Naoki Ishikawa’s PHOTO EXHIBITION “TOP END4”.

Conducts the “Listen to the sound of people” tour which is aimed to just meet acquainted people without doing any performances within the COVID-19 situation. (A continuous supporting project for the cultural and arts activities).

<2021>

Releases “Amorphous” as trio with TAMARU and TAKASHI TSUDA.

Provides music for sauna bath, for Kitakobushi Shiretoko Hotel & Resort” in Shiretoko, Hokkaido – A display music work recoded at the site only heard inside the sauna.

Performs the “Black and White Ghosts” as Busstrio + Kazuya Matsumoto, and solo-performance “Dokuhaku To Tugai”, at the Ashi No Geijutsu Genya Festival, inside the Hokkaido Shari City Old Town Hall which he also acted as the executive committee member of the festival.

Film “Shari” produced by Nao Yoshikai, Naoki Ishikawa, Naoki Watanabe and Kazuya Matsumoto was released nationwide.

Film “UTURU” which was directed/recorded/edited by Yuichiro Konno, music and performed by Kazuya Matsumoto was nominated for the Tokyo Documentary Film Awards 2021’s short documentary competition.

Space exhibition “Pulse” (which is based on field works from the Shiretoko Peninsula and Nara) was held at “Naramachi Nigiwai No Ie Tsushi Nikai art event vol.24” organized by the national important cultural property Naramachi Nigiwai No Ie. Film “UTURU” screening + performance event “Yuichiro Konno + Kazuya Matsumoto” was held around the Kansai area as related event.

<2022>

Organizes the 2nd “Ashi No Geijutsu Genya Sai” festival in Shiretoko, Hokkaido.

Film “Shari” was officially nominated for the short/medium competition at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.

Performs 3 shows at the “Takigahara Geijustu Sai tour 2022 in Toyooka” organized by Yamada Kikaku in Toyoka theatre.

Performs Kazuya Matsumoto “Black and White Ghosts” at the Documentary University HOEL (Kasai, Hyogo).

Releases 3rd album “Mujo” (SPEKK) on November 11th.

<2023>

“Mudoku Release Tour 2022 ➡︎ 2023” was held. A total of 112 performances will be held at 103 locations in all prefectures.

Participated in Ryuichi Sakamoto’s memorial project album “Micro Ambient Music.”

The Reed Art Wilderness Festival 2023 was held.

He participated in the “Kuroshima-Fukuura Art Project” and performed live at Soji-ji Temple So-in Temple, the former head temple of the Soto sect, where he exhibited the sound produced from the sound recorded in the field in Kuroshima.

At the Kochi Adatan Film Festival, he will present a screening of filmmaker Nao Yoshikai’s Grand Bouquet and a new performance “See you in the sea.”

Live performance “Mujo” at “Tokyo Biennale 2023.”

<2024>

bustrio “Say hello to Cezanne!” at the 14th Sengawa Theatre Drama Competition. and won the Grand Prix and the Audience Award, Yuichiro Konno of the bustrio won the Director’s Award, and all the cast members of the same production won the Actor’s Award.

As a drummer, previously participated and collaborated with FilFla (group by Keiichi Sugimoto of Minamo, Vegpher, Fourcolor), Melgrim, 34423, Shouhei Tsunamori and Bacteria collective (Mugi Yoshikawa, Yoshiro Atsumi, Kazuya Matsumoto, Manami Kakudo, Wakana Ikeda, Shuntaro Oishi, Yoshiki Masuda) and itoken with SPEAKERS (Hiroki Chiba, OROROTORIHIRO, Chiaki Miura, Kazuya Matsumoto) etc.