Benjamin Shannon is an Australian percussionist, composer, educator, and curator whose work continues to make a significant impact across both the national and international music communities. Originally from Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, Ben has developed a diverse and distinctive artistic practice grounded in improvisation, contemporary composition, experimental music, arts administration, and teaching.

Over the course of his career, he has studied with a wide range of percussionists and musicians, including Mark Guiliana, Dave Elitch, Ian Chang, Simon Barker, and Paul Hudson, among others. These influences have helped shape a creative approach that moves fluidly between jazz, improvised music, contemporary classical, heavy music, and interdisciplinary artistic practice.

Shannon has performed alongside an extensive list of acclaimed international and Australian acts including Pulitzer Prize, ARIA and Grammy Award winning artists in Raven Chacon, Jane Siberry, Scott Tinkler, Marc Ducret, Francois Salque, Robin Eubanks, Eiichi Hayashi, Julius Schwing, +. His projects have also shared stages with internationally recognised acts including Sun Ra Arkestra, Ryosuke Kiyasu, KNOWER, Rafiq Bhatia, Leprous, Katatonia, Delta Sleep, The Contortionist, COG, The Black Sorrows, to list just a few.

As a composer, performer and bandleader, Shannon’s work has received recognition through nomination and significant recognition in the Bell Awards (2017), Queensland Music Awards (2020, 2022, 2024) , Australian Art Music Awards (2022, 2023) , and the Freedman Jazz Award (2020, 2023). His artistic projects include Milton Man Gogh, Brisbane Conduction Orchestra, Kodiak Empire, Shamin, Big Dead, Dropbear Lodge, Milk Buttons +, through which he has released more than twenty albums and toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally since 2013. Ben’s work has also been supported by Arts Queensland, Creative Australia, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Australia Council, Sidney Myer Foundation, Banff Centre and Caloundra Events Centre.

He has also partaken in residencies at the Banff Centre (2017, 2024, 2024) and Australian Art Orchestra (2018), holds a Bachelor of Music (1st Class Honours), Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), and is currently a PhD candidate at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, with a focus on his work with Conduction.

Ben is also prolific in his work with Australian labels Art as Catharsis and Worlds Within Worlds, having promoted and organised performances for international acts KNOWER, Rafiq Bhatia, Badieh, Qais Essar, Snehesh Nag, and countless tours/performances for Australian improvised/experimental acts such as Helen Svoboda, Tom Avgenicos, Reuben Lewis, Sophie Min, I Hold The Lion’s Paw, Arching Wires, HEKKA, Kristin Berardi, Chris Stover, Vanessa Tomlinson, +.

For a more extensive summary of Ben’s work, his full CV is available below outlining discography, awards, collaborations, film/tv work and qualifications.

Head over to the contact page if you’d like to reach out to Ben about the following:

Teaching - Drum Kit, Percussion, Composition
Ben has been teaching drum kit, percussion, composition to upwards of 30 students a week for over 10 years. He has limited space available for online or in person lessons at his studio in Stafford, Brisbane.

Arts Administration

Ben work spreads to grant writing assistance, arts administration, tour logistics/booking and general arts consultancy, reach out if you’d like to engage his services.