Album release with Claudio Puntin
My new album with clarinetist Claudio Puntin will be released digitally on April 24, 2026.
Stavanger 2025
I am composing a sound installation for the 900th anniversary of Stavanger Cathedral, which will be presented outside the cathedral in April 2025 during the city's jubilee celebrations. The installation is created using recordings of the cathedral’s organ, its bell chimes, and the Domkor choir. These sounds will be transformed into an immersive multichannel experience, reflecting the cathedral’s history and atmosphere. Through this composition, I aim to blend tradition with contemporary sound art, offering a unique auditory experience in the heart of Stavanger.
Hibakujumoku 2025
I am currently working on a sound installation for Oslo Botanical Garden and Hiroshima Botanical Garden as part of Hibakujumoku, marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in World War II. The story of Hibakujumoku—the trees that survived the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—remains at the heart of this project. Despite being told that nothing would grow for 75 years, the people of Hiroshima witnessed these trees sprouting the very next spring, offering immense hope. Today, seeds from these survivor trees are shared globally as symbols of peace. My sound installation will reflect this history and create an immersive experience, exploring the deep connection between nature, resilience, and remembrance.
"Mørket Har Ingen Hofter"
John Derek Bishop (musikk) og Elv Niclas Magnusson (poesi) samarbeider tverrfaglig om det nye verket "Mørket Har Ingen Hofter", som lanseres 13. september 2024. Verket er en utforskning av eksperimentell elektronisk musikk og moderne beatpoesi, der lyd og ord er tett knyttet sammen. Duoen har jobbet sammen siden 2016, og dette prosjektet markerer deres første felles album og bokutgivelse. 21 september fremfører duoen på Kapittelfestivalen i Stavanger.
Magnussons lyrikk tar utgangspunkt i konkrete, hverdagslige bilder for å illustrere filosofiske temaer, ofte med en maskulin tilnærming til utfordringer i det moderne liv. Diktene spenner fra mellommenneskelige møter til øyeblikk av stillhet og refleksjon. Bishops innovative komposisjoner forsterker disse uttrykkene med elektronisk eksperimentell musikk, abstrakte rytmer, ambient lydlandskap, droner og bruk av feltopptak fra natur og urbane områder.
Musikk og lyrikk smelter sammen i korte låter, hvor lydene beskriver og forsterker tekstens uttrykk. Dette møtet mellom samtidslyrikk og eksperimentell elektronisk musikk skaper en unik opplevelse der begge kunstformene løfter hverandre.
John Derek Bishop har gitt ut syv internasjonalt kritikerroste album på Jazzland Recordings og ble i 2016 nominert til Spellemannsprisen. Elv Niclas Magnusson har på sin side over 20 års erfaring innen lyrikk og kalligrafi, og har tidligere samarbeidet med Bishop under litteraturfestivalen Kapittel i 2017.
Mix: Steven Bishop. Mastering: Taylor Deupree. Cover: John Derek Bishop. Støttet av FFUK.
Nortusa Recordings 2024
Hibakujumoku
Saturday 1st of June 2024 - opening of outdoor art installation in Stavanger that I have made a sound installation for. More info:
The story of ‘Hibakujumoku’ - the trees that survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, is at the heart of our exhibition.
The locals were told that nothing would grow in the city for the next 75 years, but the very next spring the trees began to sprout. This gave the people enormous hope. Trees that survived the atomic bombs, known as ‘Hibakujumoku’ in Japanese, are used by locals to convey messages of peace and war history in a hopeful and child-friendly way. Seeds from these trees are also sent as a symbol of peace to the whole world, and now their seedlings grow in Stavanger Botanical Garden.
Visual artist Helene Espedal-Selvåg, art photographer Yumiko Ashley and sound artist John Derek Bishop have contributed to the exhibition. Their works will explore the relationship between nature and humans, and create an engaging experience for the audience.
The opening of the exhibition will be held as part of the Wonderful World Festival 2024 program. Later the same day at 4pm on Stage 2 at TOU, a panel discussion with the theme ‘Nature as a casualty of war’ will be held, with ‘Hibakujumoku’ taking centre stage. We encourage you to also participate in this session.
Tour in Germany and Norway
Playing nine concerts in Germany and Norway with guitarist Svein Rikard Mathisen.
solo album release
"pi"
“PI” is a piano album by Norwegian producer and musician John Derek Bishop. He has recorded himself playing piano and cut these recordings into 16 short pieces of music. He has focused on creating a minimalistic, fragile and imperfect album. Many layers of piano create a rich sound and texture, and the microphones have been placed close to the piano for an intimate feeling. The album was made in a state of flow and meditation, and Bishop hopes the music will take the listener on an inward journey in thoughts and feelings.
The album is inspired by impressionist composers and neoclassical music.
Bishop usually uses big amounts of reverb and delay in his music productions, but in the album he has not used these effects resulting in a dry sound. All the piano recordings were done by Bishop with a focus on capturing something honest and imperfect. The album was mixed by Steven Bishop and mastered by Taylor Deupree. The cover art is made by Bishop.
“PI” is Bishop ́s fifth solo studio album and he has previously released music with Arve Henriksen, Nils Petter Molvær, Eivind Aarset, Jan Bang, Erland Dahlen, and more. His solo album from 2016 was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemann) and his albums have received critical acclaim.
The album was funded by Komponistenes vederlagsfond, Norsk Komponistforening and FFUK.