THE TOWER OF BABEL

photo: Carlos Suarez / Wiener Konzerthaus

with Klangforum Wien and others

Language: Various

Duration: 225 min

14 Oct, 19:00

Passed

CONCERT 1
Alexey Sysoev (Russia) Col Pugno
Age Veeroos (Estonia) ich sehe Federn wachsen im Sand der Wüsten
Jamilia Jazylbekova (Kazakhstan)
Les illusions de l'âme

PANEL 1:
19:45—20:15

CONCERT 2
Anna Korsun (Ukraine) UCHТ
Asia Ahmetjanova (Latvia) Beth
Aram Hovhannisyan (Armenia)
Strophes-Segments

PANEL 2:
21:15—21:45

CONCERT 3
Dariya Maminova (Russia)
I don't know whether
the Earth is spinning or not...
Valery Voronov (Belarus)
Gigantomania for tamtam solo
Alexander Khubeev (Russia)
The Codex of Thoughtcrimes

Enormous shadows are looming over the various New Music scenes of the post-Soviet territories, which have once again become the site of violent, geopolitical conflict. The fluidity of a perfectly natural dialogue between leading composers and performers between Tbilisi and Minsk, Yerevan and Moscow, Tashkent and Kyiv has come to a standstill, the dialogue has ceased. Once more, music runs the risk of being reduced to national self-assertion and to a propaganda shield of supposed superiority. Resistance against such instrumentalization is called for. With its multi-part project “The Tower of Babel”, Klangforum Wien wants to contribute to these efforts. It draws up a map of the New in music in today's post-Soviet space, which naturally presents artistically uncompromising positions from Estonia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Like a "Tower of Babel", the project is intended to rise above the cultural landscape, currently suffering such terrible deprivation: radiant with polyphony, utopian as ever, providing both a sanctuary and a vantage point.

Performers:
Klangforum Wien
Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart
Dariya Maminova, voice
Markus Deuter, oboe
Michele Marelli, clarinet
Anders Nyqvist, trumpet
Krassimir Sterev, accordion
Björn Wilker, percussion
Conductors: Vitali Alekseenok,
Peter Rundel

Supported by: ERSTE Foundation
and AFF Projects

Language: English, German

Duration: 60 min

14 Oct, 19:45 / 21:15

Speakers:
Peter Paul Kainrath, CEO of Klangforum Wien
Vladimir Rannev, composer
Jamilia Jazylbekova, composer
Petros Ovsepyan, composer
Dmitriy Renansky, musical critic
Polina Korobkova, composer and text writer
Christine Fischer, artistic director of Musik der Jahrhunderte

Info

public talk

An ensemble for contemporary classical music founded in 1985 by Beat Furrer and based in Vienna. 24 musicians from 12 countries are constantly exploring new horizons of artistic creativity together with the most important composers of our time. Open-minded, virtuosic in performance and aurally perceptive, Klangforum Wien devotes itself to the artistic interpretation and expansion of experiential space.

KLANGFORUM WIEN

Graduated from the Moscow College of Improvised Music, and after participated in various jazz, electronic and experimental projects as pianist and keyboardist for a long time. He also studied composition at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (2006-2011). His works have been performed by Klangforum Wien, Ensemble 2e2m, Phoenix Basel and other ensembles. As an improvisator, he cooperated with such musicians as Vladimir Tarasov, Sachiko M, Toshimaru Nakamura, Boris Baltschun, Burkhard Beins, Andrea Neumann etc.

ALEXEY SYSOEV
composer

Winner of the Lepo Sumera Composition Award 2023, Age Veeroos obtained her master's degree cum laude in composition at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn in 2006 (under Eino Tamberg and Helena Tulve). In 2005/2006 she studied with Wolfgang Rihm in Karlsruhe Higher Music School. She attended international composition courses including IRCAM Summer Course for composers in Paris (2004) and Centre Acanthes in Metz (2005), master classes with for example Salvatore Sciarrino and Georg Friedrich Haas. 2010, together with a 5-member team she took part and won the main prize in a music theatre project competition of Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin. Age is a member of Estonian Composers Union and Estonian Association of Electronic Music.

AGE VEEROOS
composer

Born in Kazakhstan, Jamilia studied flute and piano at the State School of Music in Almaty and composition at the Moscow State Conservatory. From 1995 to 1997 Jazylbekova received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and then continued her composition studies at Bremen University of the Arts. Her works have been featured at numerous festivals in Europe, the United States, Canada, and the CIS states. Jamilia has received commissions for new compositions from prestigious institutions including the Theater and Philharmonic Orchestra of Heidelberg, MaerzMusik Festival, Deutschlandfunk, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Ensemble Remix, Casa da Música Porto, Imago-Dei Festival Krems, the Berlin Biennale, the senates of Berlin and Bremen, Ensemble Courage, Ensemble Intégrales, Nieuw Ensemble, de ereprijs orkest, the city of Oldenburg, the International Gaudeamus Music Week, and the Basler Musikmonat (2001). Currently residing in Germany, Jamilia Jazylbekova is not only an accomplished composer but also an active singer, flutist, and pianist.

JAMILIA JAZYLBEKOVA
composer

Born in Ukraine, Anna studied composition in Kiev and Munich. She works for different formations from solo instruments to an orchestra, including acoustic instruments, voice, electronics and sounding objects. She also collaborates with visual arts, dance, theater and literature. Anna involves into her works both professional and amateur musicians, as well as non-musicians. Besides an activity as an artist Anna performs contemporary music as vocalist/keyboard instruments, directs musical projects and teaches composition at international courses. She participated at international festivals such as eclat, Darmstädter Ferienkurse, ISCM, Warsaw Autumn, Festival Musica Strasbourg, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Anna was awarded Prize of Christoph-and-Stephan-Kaske-Foundation, Gaudeamus Award, Kunstpreis Berlin and Open Ear of Trillende Lucht Foundation.

ANNA KORSUN
composer

Born in Latvia and based in Zürich, Asia is a composer and performer working in the field of interactive chamber music, sound pieces, music theater, performance, music sculptures, texts, and electronics. After graduating from Emils Darzins Music Secondary School in Riga, she earned her Bachelor's Degree in piano in Tallinn and continued her education in Lucerne. From 2017 to 2020, she pursued a Master's Degree in Music and Art Performance based on research in the field of interdisciplinary composition.

ASIA AHMETJANOVA
composer

Born in Armenia, Aram studied composition and flute at the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory. In 2003, he moved to Switzerland, where he continued his composition studies at the Haute école de musique de Genève. Member of the Association Suisse de Musiciens (2012) and Armenian Composers Union (2013). Hovhannisyan's music has been performed at renowned international festivals and concert series. He received commissions from Collegium Novum Zürich & Pro Helvetia, Armenian Association for Contemporary Music, Dilijan Chamber Music Series, Ensemble Oktoplus and Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Ensemble Paul Klee & Pro Helvetia, Ensemble Proton Bern, pianist Hayk Melikyan, Ensemble Nostri Temporis, Fondation Armenia, Ensemble Aequatuor & Ernst-von-Siemens Musikstiftung, Ensemble Aequatuor & Nicati-de-Luze Stiftung, Ensemble Laboratorium & Luzern Zu Ostern Festival.

ARAM HOVHANNISYAN
composer

Dariya works in the fields of experimental instrumental and electronic music, improvisation, musical theatre, and pop music. She studied composition both at the Detmold Academy of Music with Fabien Lévy and at the Academy of Music and Dance in Cologne with Johannes Schöllhorn and Brigitta Muntendorf. Her works have been performed by Klangforum Wien, Musikfabrik, Neue Vocalisten Stuttgart, MCME, and other ensembles. In February 2024, the world premiere of her opera Beta will be presented at Deutsche Oper Berlin. Currently residing in Cologne, Germany.

DARIYA MAMINOVA
composer

Born in Moscow, Valery completed his music studies at the Glinka College in Minsk and later at the Minsk Academy of Music, where he received the highest honors in all subjects. In 1995, he entered the composition class at the Cologne College of Music. In 2001, he continued his studies at the Electronic Music Studio in the Cologne College of Music. Voronov has composed music for various theater, radio, and film projects, including works for the Film Theatre in Minsk, The Grand Theatre, the Film Studio at the Aalto Theatre in Essen, the Inter-Theatre in Bochum, and the radio station "Deutsche Welle" in Cologne. Voronov’s compositions have participated in numerous significant international music festivals and symposiums.

VALERY VORONOV
composer

Born in Perm, Russia, Alexander graduated from Moscow State Conservatory in 2011. He received a scholarship from the Darmstadt Summer Courses in 2014, won the renowned composition prize from the Gaudeamus Foundation in 2015, received a scholarship from the Academy of Arts, Berlin, in 2018, the Residency Prix CIME in 2019, and the European Composer Prize in 2021. He is also a winner of competitions in Argentina, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and the USA. His music has been performed in more than 30 countries across Europe, Asia, South and North America, and at festivals such as the Biennale di Venezia, the Darmstadt Summer Courses, the Gaudeamus Music Week, the MATA Festival, Quantensprungen, Ultima, the Transit Festival, Festival Mixtur, SPOR, the Moscow Forum, the Diaghilev Festival, reMusik.org, and many others. Since 2023, he has been residing in Paris.

ALEXANDER KHUBEEV
composer