Gordon Monahan

Gordon Monahan is a Canadian composer, sound artist, and inventor who’s spent decades blurring the lines between music, physics, and performance art. Known for his wildly inventive approach to sound, he transforms everyday objects—like swinging speakers, prepared pianos, or even rain-soaked theremins—into mesmerizing sonic experiences. Pieces like *Speaker Swinging / Piano Mechanics* showcase his love for kinetic sculptures and the raw physicality of sound, while *Theremin in the Rain* leans into playful, weather-dependent improvisation. His work often feels like a cross between a science experiment and a avant-garde concert, with a focus on how sound interacts with space, motion, and natural elements.

Based in rural Ontario, Monahan has toured globally with his genre-defying installations and performances, merging experimental music with theatrical flair. Projects like *Saskatchewan Sound Installations* highlight his knack for site-specific works that respond to their environments, whether urban or wilderness. A pioneer of electroacoustic music since the 1980s, he’s built a reputation as a kind of “sonic mad scientist” who’s equally at home tinkering with homemade instruments as he is collaborating with orchestras or electronic musicians. If you’re into immersive, unpredictable soundscapes, Monahan’s your guy.