Alon Ilsar is an Australian drummer, composer, sound designer and instrument designer. He is co-designer of a new interface for electronic percussionists called the AirSticks, using the instrument in projects such as The Hour, The Sticks, Tuka (from Thundamentals), Kirin J Callinan, Kind of Silence (UK), Velize (US), Cephalon (US), Aether (US), Voyager (US), Bondi Dreaming, Silent Spring, Drumonair, Monotreme (US) and Brian Campeau.
He has been heavily involved in theatre and film as drummer, composer and sound designer. His diverse projects include Belvoir Theatre’s ‘Keating! the Musical,’ Sydney Theatre Company’s ‘Mojo,’ Scottish production for deaf and hearing audiences ‘Kind of Silence,’ Meow Meow with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Alan Cumming, Jake Shears, Eddie Perfect, Tim Minchin, Circus Monoxide as musical director, Lance Horne, Zohar’s Nigun, Aronas, Captain Kirkwood, The Colors Tribute Band, Gauche, Trigger Happy, Tango Saloon, Facemeat and Darth Vegas.
Alon is completing a PhD in instrument design through the University of Technology, Sydney’s Creativity and Cognition Studios, under the supervision of Andrew Johnston. He recently completed a one-year artist residency at Brooklyn College’s PIMA in New York working on new collaborations with musicians, visual artists and dancers such as Trevor Dunn, David Grubbs, Jim Black, Briggan Krauss, Kyle Sanna, Dana Lyn and Hannah Cohen of Neshamah Dance Company.
VIDEO: Alon Ilsar and the AirSticks
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‘Drummer Alon Ilsar’s skeletal underscoring is very effective.’ (Sydney Morning Herald)
‘freaky-future shit’ (The Brag, Sydney)