Peter McAvan : Associate Artist
Photo: Fabliha Reza
Peter McAvan (he/him) is a composer, producer, sound designer, radio presenter, and label director from Boorloo/Perth. His work spans electronic music, dance, theatre, installation, and club contexts, using sound to explore embodiment, chronic illness, and collective experience.
He graduated with First Class Honours in Composition & Music Technology from WAAPA and has since built a practice recognised across Australia and internationally. His compositions have been commissioned by Sydney Dance Company, Perth Festival, LINK Dance Company, STRUT, and Blue Room Theatre. His score for the immersive dance-theatre work WALK was supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and nominated for a Performing Arts WA Award for Outstanding Composition or Arranging. In 2023 he was awarded a bursary from the Australian Music Centre and Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio to attend the Video Game Audio Intensive, marking his expansion into interactive and screen-based media.
Peter's creative research is shaped by his lived experience of chronic illness, which drives his investigation into embodiment, pain, and sound. He treats texture and the grain of sound as a bridge between sonic detail and bodily experience, connecting health-focused research with live performance and collaborative art-making. His projects have featured at major public art programs, including Singapore's i Light festival, as well as installations and contemporary performance works presented across Australia.
As PTMC, his producer alias, Peter fuses underground dance culture with classical, ambient, and experimental forms. His performances often integrate audio-reactive visuals, surround sound, and immersive design to create high-intensity sensory environments.
In 2020, he co-founded Midnight Elevator, an independent record label and events collective that has established itself as a hub for Perth's electronic music community. Through its releases and events, the platform showcases emerging artists and connects Perth's scene with national and international networks.
Peter also presents RTRFM's long-running program Out To Lunch, where he curates experimental and electronic sounds for broad audiences, linking underground practice with community radio's wide reach.
Biography provided by the composer