Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayna Dunkelman.
Hi Shayna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan to an Indonesian mother and an American father. My younger sister and I became multi-instrumentalists performing alongside our mother, a musician, and composer active in Asia and the Middle East. Then, I moved to California to study music and mathematics in college.
After spending some time in the Bay Area where I was juggling playing gigs non-stop (for pretty cheap!) and working as a math department head at a local private high school, I decided to take a risk and moved to NYC to pursue my music career. I now work with many incredible musicians, one of them being my sister Nava, who is also a drummer.
We have a duo called NOMON.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Being a freelance musician is never an easy task. Occasionally, that means navigating the sensitive and difficult power dynamics with collaborators, who are sometimes also your “boss”. One little mistake can lead you down an unhealthy path or cost you your livelihood.
This goes beyond just paychecks, but also how you are treated as a human being. Thankfully, I now only work with the most wonderful, understanding, and supportive people who champion my work. I of course still have to deal with some unfairness from time to time, but I do feel like I have better tools now.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a musician, percussionist, and composer.
I just completed a short artist residency at Loghaven in Knoxville, which was beyond incredible.
In addition to solo performances and playing with my duo NOMON, I work closely with Pulitzer Award-Winning composer Du Yun, Puerto Rican electro-acoustic band Balún (with Angélica Negrón), Grammy Award Winning artist Attacca Quartet, the LA Opera Orchestra, Pakistani singer Ali Sethi to name a few. I get to travel around the world to play some of the most innovative pieces, which I’m truly grateful for.
Though it took me a long time, I’m proudest of creating a sound world that only belongs to me. I am strongly drawn to the dance-like movements and flow of playing percussion, and I make music at the intersection of electronic soundscapes and intricately composed percussion music. I combine drum machines, vocal samples, synth melodies, and modular synthesizers triggered by analog sensors with carefully chosen percussion sounds to create a cohesive interweaving of the electronic and acoustic elements.
When composing, I’m inspired by industrial music, avant-garde percussion improvisation, rhythms and sounds from my cultural background (Japan and Indonesia), and contemporary electronic music that incorporates voices instrumentally.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Be open and ready to get out of your comfort zone. You never what path that leads you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shaynadunkelmanmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/00esdot00/
- Other: https://nomonmusic.bandcamp.com/releases
Image Credits
Shawn Poynter and Keisuke Tsujimoto
