SlowPitchSound (Cheldon Paterson) is an award winning Toronto-based composer, mentor, and explorer of sound & visuals. He has collaborated with creators from a wide range of disciplines including opera, jazz, classical, electronic music, theatre and dance. His unique style of music production, self proclaimed as "scifi-turntablism", has graced stages around the world including Canada, Australia, USA, United Kingdom and Sweden. With a passion for depth and detail in his work, Cheldon is heavily inspired by nature, outer space, and dystopian sci-fi. Cheldon’s unique approach to making music includes turntablism, sample manipulation, and field recordings. Making a shift into the world of live theatre, Cheldon has been nominated for a DORA award (Outstanding Sound Design / Composition), and has a collective win for Best New Theatre Production with "Italian Mime Suicide". Produced by Bad New Days.
COVER STORY: MusicWorks magazine
“With roots in turntablism that extend into the likes of classical composition, sound design, and theatre, Toronto-based artist and musician Cheldon Paterson—aka SlowPitchSound—is an artist whose music is difficult to define.”
"To marry such a range in sounds smoothly is no small feat, but SlowPitchSound's skill-set incorporate the playfulness of jazz and the world-building of science fiction." - Exclaim!
"SlowPitchSound Scratches Past the Surface with His Own Brand of Turntablism" - Thump/Vice
“With roots in turntablism that extend into the likes of classical composition, sound design, and theatre, Toronto-based artist and musician Cheldon Paterson—aka SlowPitchSound—is an artist whose music is difficult to define.”
"To marry such a range in sounds smoothly is no small feat, but SlowPitchSound's skill-set incorporate the playfulness of jazz and the world-building of science fiction." - Exclaim!
"SlowPitchSound Scratches Past the Surface with His Own Brand of Turntablism" - Thump/Vice
Awards
Composed music included the documentary "Black Ice" by Oscar nominated director Hubert Davis - Winner of the TIFF Peoples Choice Award (2022)
Composed music/sound design for "Italian Mime Suicide" Winner best new production at the DORA Awards (2022)
Toronto Arts Council jury member - Community Arts Projects (2020)
Co winner of the 2018 CMC Toronto Emerging Composer Award
Toronto Arts Council music creations grant (2017)
Canada Council for the Arts -Multi Media Arts creation grant (2013)
Ontario Arts Council - creation grant (2010) (2011) (2020) (2022)
Nominated for the K.M. Hunter Artist Award for Music, from the K.M. Hunter Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council (2011)
Composed music included the documentary "Black Ice" by Oscar nominated director Hubert Davis - Winner of the TIFF Peoples Choice Award (2022)
Composed music/sound design for "Italian Mime Suicide" Winner best new production at the DORA Awards (2022)
Toronto Arts Council jury member - Community Arts Projects (2020)
Co winner of the 2018 CMC Toronto Emerging Composer Award
Toronto Arts Council music creations grant (2017)
Canada Council for the Arts -Multi Media Arts creation grant (2013)
Ontario Arts Council - creation grant (2010) (2011) (2020) (2022)
Nominated for the K.M. Hunter Artist Award for Music, from the K.M. Hunter Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council (2011)
Residencies
Woodland Farm Artist Residency - Salt Spring Island BC (2023)
TD Bank Composer in Residence - Toronto (2018)
SoundStreams Composer in Residence (2018)
Artscape Gibraltar Point Winter Residency - Toronto Island (2015)
Woodland Farm Artist Residency - Salt Spring Island BC (2023)
TD Bank Composer in Residence - Toronto (2018)
SoundStreams Composer in Residence (2018)
Artscape Gibraltar Point Winter Residency - Toronto Island (2015)
Commissions
Audio
North York Arts - Mapping Our Neighbourhoods (2021)
- A program where artists and youth from the Jane and Finch and Black Creek neighbourhoods gathered to create a audio/visual map of their area. I contributed and mentored participance in sound design.
Stephen Lewis Secondary School Sound Journal Project (Spring 2020)
- Restricted to the use of sounds collected (by composer Bekah Simms) during a 2019 school field trip (Nature vs. Urban Soundwalk), SlowPitchSound masterfully created the mix heard in the link.
AGO All Hours | in partnership w/ OCAD (2020)
- Art Gallery of Ontario and Ontario College of Art & Design University teamed up for a campfire themed event. SlowPitchSound and dancer Lybido presented a nature themed, audiobook inspired performance.
Farewell to the Moon: Ben Feist (NASA) and SlowPitchSound - Aga Khan Museum (2019)
- SlowPitchSound remixes moon-inspired songs with NASA recordings from the Apollo 11 mission
SoundStreams Presents: FREDDY’S TUNE Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, Toronto. (2018)
- SlowPitchSound and Juno Award winning musicians the Gryphon Trio perform "The Altered Offering". An original score by SlowPitchSound (Cheldon Paterson)
Blackness, Gender, Work, and Love Symposium - Faculty of Environmental Studies- York University (2017)
- "the closing event of the yearlong initiative called Black Love Matters 2017 Un-Conference."
The Music Gallery presents: MG Remixed: Allatonceness - Toronto (2016)
- With access to the deep audio archives of the Music Gallery, SlowPitchSound creates new possibilities live and on the spot.
SoundStreams Salon21 at the Gardiner Museum - Minimalism Remixed - Toronto (2016)
- "an immersive gallery experience where a unique live performance exploring minimalism in music and visual art will take over one of the Gardiner’s galleries."
Musica Reflecta and the Canadian Music Centre (CMC) presents: Opus Testing | NASA Remixed | Toronto (2015)
- Live improvised performance using audio recordings from NASA's APOLLO mission to the moon.
Sound Design Work
Italian Mime Suicide (2022)
"Black Ice" by Oscar nominated director Hubert Davis - Winner of the TIFF Peoples Choice Award (2022)
North York Arts - Northbound (2021)
created original scores for the work of visual artists Anna Kavehmehr and Aqsah Shah
CultureLink (2021)
- A/V creations with newcomer youth and Jumblies artists.
Jumblies Theatre - Grounds for Goodness (2020,2021)
- A collaboration between SlowPitchSoun and the Gather Round Singers to create a piece of work using sounds and visuals collected from ZOOM sessions.
Conceived of and guided by Ruth Howard, this project includes many artists, who bring different forms.
Constellations Presents: Resonant Bodies - Toronto Media Arts Centre (2019)
- Resonant Bodies is an online exhibition about the sonic reflections between bodies and their environments, and an extension of a physical exhibition which took place at the Toronto Media Arts Centre from August 11-17th, 2019. "Transport Station" by SlowPitchSound was commissioned installation that includes field recordings and images collected from locations around Toronto.
Musical Appearances
CBC Television: In The Making (episode 7)
MeenMoves Dance Company: Growing Pains (2018)
CBC Television: In The Making (episode 7)
MeenMoves Dance Company: Growing Pains (2018)
Teaching/Workshops
UCSD University of California San Diego - Artist discussion and presentation (2023)
Centennial College Theatre Arts - Artist discussion and presentation (2021)
Regent Park School of Music - Turning Point Youth Services (2016/2017)
International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation - Rainbow Day Camp and KidsAbility - Play Who You Are workshop series - Guelph (2018)
Off Centre DJ & Electronic Music Production School - Toronto's longest running DJ School (since 2004)
SoundMakers School Tour - Toronto, Brampton, Port Credit, Pickering and Whitby (2018)