DrBree Van Reyk

Bree van Reyk is a drummer, percussionist, composer, sound artist and occasional maker of unkempt musical instruments.

Bree’s solo performances centre on exploring minimal, experimental, and meditative experiential soundscapes using rustic, self-invented hybrid string/percussion instruments, and found objects.

She is currently developing a new major work (an opera of sorts) for Sydney Chamber Opera, which will be presented on a double-bill with her first chamber opera, The Invisible Bird, in Sydney in 2028-9. 

Bree has been commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Monafoma, Dark Mofo, Sydney Dance Company, Ensemble Offspring, Sydney Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, Performance Space (NSW), Bleach (QLD), Urban Theatre Projects, Marrugeku, Shaun Parker Company, Bell Shakespeare, the MCA, The Letter String Quartet, Ensemble Offspring, Synergy Percussion, the Canberra Youth Orchestra, fashion designer Bianca Spenderand by many major arts festivals and galleries across Australia. Her work for Genevieve Lacey and Marshall MacGuire, Threaded in Amongst the Infinite Threading, saw her nominated as a finalist in the Art Music Awards in 2022. Her collaborative work with artist Lauren Brincat ‘Molto Echo’ was purchased by the MCA for their permanent collection. 

Bree has forged a unique career collaborating with artists from diverse cultural and stylistic backgrounds such as Gurrumul, Paul Kelly, Sarah Blasko, U.S. flutist extraordinaire Claire Chase, Holly Throsby, Toby Martin, Darren Hanlon, Sia Ahmad, Jacqui O'Reilly, Solly Frank, Niki Johnston and Hayley Chan, Ensemble Offspring, Noreum Machi (Korea), Speak Percussion, Synergy Percussion, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, OzOpera, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Legs on the Wall, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. 

Her debut album, ‘superclusters’, is a massed instrumental ensemble work featuring over 20 guest musicians including Jim White and Mick Turner (Dirty Three), and Véronique Serret.

Bree has also developed several musical installation works including the soundtrack installation for The Pool - Australia's exhibition at the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, 2016, an interactive Melody Fencewith designer Elliat Rich for Ross Park Primary School in 2011, and Arbor Sonata with Chloe Goldsmith for Dress-Up Attack and Malthouse Theatre's crafternoon series in 2013.

Bree has co-produced albums with Toby Martin, Annie McKinnon and Jess Green and is developing a large-scale improvisatory performance work, Superclusters, which also exists as an interactive online album.

Bree holds an Associate Lecturer role at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and recently completed a Doctor of Music Arts in composition under the supervision of Professor Liza Lim.

Bree lives and works on the lands of the Wangal and Gadigal.