Do you like to improvise, compose, and experiment with instruments, sound, electronics, space, language, dance, or theater?
Then read on, because you’re in the right place!
The workshop for contemporary music and music technology is something for you!
In a workshop that will take place at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) from August 28th to September 2nd, 2023, you will be able to explore different aspects of contemporary music-making in an interactive way.
The workshop is divided into six modules, which are led by mentors. You choose one of them and spend a week studying it in depth. Renowned composers, musicians and representatives of other art forms will accompany you and help you with exciting inputs to give free rein to your ideas and projects and to realize them!
Mentoring
- Modul 1Autonomous Music (Gilbert Nouno, Mentorschip in Englisch and French)
Here you can explore and try out how to compose your own piece of music for a concert performance. You will gain insight into different composition techniques and learn how to write down your own musical ideas in sheet music and how to implement them in rehearsals. At the end of the workshop, your piece will be performed live.
Autonomous music means that the artistic statement on stage is exclusively the music. There is no theater scene, film or installation. The music is the only medium, hence the term «Autonomous Music».
The renowned composer Gilbert Nouno will support you in your work throughout the week. During the week you will get further exciting input from composers Katharina Nohl and Julia Schwarz and film composer Niki Reiser. On Wednesday we will visit Pipilotti Rist’s sound space at the Kunsthaus and we will get an introduction to this magical sound installation from the Kunsthaus.
- Modul 2Music for Performative Arts (Fabian Künzli)
You like musical, opera, dance or plays with music. Here you can try out, explore and learn how to compose for the stage. Invent your own story and compose a song, or an aria, or invent music for a cool dance choreography. Under the guidance of the experienced composer Fabian Künzli you can try out a lot in this module and get exciting insights into the world of theater music, i.e. the performative arts. You will also get an exciting input on the topic from composer Kaspar and personal insight into the compositional styles of composer Julia Schwarz and film composer Niki Reiser.
- Modul 3Film and Media Composition (Mirjam Skal)
You want to learn how to compose exciting music for a film or a game. In this module you can immerse yourself in the world of film and media music. The workshop is led by film composer Mirjam Skal. She has a lot of experience in scoring different film genres and will also give you insights into the work in the studio. On Tuesday, André Bellmont, head of the subject film composition at the ZHdK, will give you an introduction into the secrets of film music. And during the workshop week you will get exciting input from the composer Julia Schwarz and the renowned film composer Niki Reiser
- Modul 4Audio Pieces (Till Löffler)
Do you like exciting thriller radio plays, romantic comedies or fantasy adventures? For these stories to work really well as radio plays, they need a lot of different music, just like a movie. In this workshop you will discover how to write, record and produce your own radio play. You’ll also learn about a whole new form of radio play – the audiowalk. These are radio plays for on the road. The workshop will be led by Till Löffler, who has a lot of experience with this genre as a composer and director. On Tuesday there will be input from Michel Roth who will show us how he uses real cable car ropes as musical instruments and records music with them. With him we will also record our own noises and sounds. And during the workshop week there will also be exciting input from composers Cécile Marti and Julia Schwarz and film composer Niki Reiser.
- Modul 5Sound Spaces (Vivian Wang, Mentorship in English)
Have you ever experienced the room of the artist Pipilotti Rist at the Kunsthaus Zürich? A room full of colorful lights, which move to a specially composed music in such a way that the impression arises that they are dancing. The interplay of space and sound is certainly one of the most interesting areas of composition. A great field for all creative people who like to try out a playful approach to art and music. In this module, together with sound artist and composer Vivian Wang, you can try out and explore everything that interests you on this topic in a wide variety of spaces. On Tuesday we will get input from Michel Roth who will show us how he uses real cable car ropes as musical instruments and records music with them. We will also record our own noises and sounds with him. On Wednesday we will visit the above mentioned room of Pipilotti Rist and get an introduction to the installation from the Kunsthaus. And during the week there will also be exciting inputs from composer Julia Schwarz and film composer Niki Reiser
- Modul 6Electro-Acoustic Composition (Olav Lervik)
Do you like making music with the computer and want to find out how to compose with it? Because the computer is an exciting and versatile musical instrument. In this workshop, you’ll learn everything you need to compose with a variety of software programs. You can explore how to create a whole world of sound from a simple piano note. Under the guidance of software specialist and composer Olav Lervik, you will learn the musical secrets of your computer. On Tuesday we will get input from Michel Roth who will show us how he uses real cable car ropes as musical instruments to record music. With him we will also record and work with our own noises and sounds. On Wednesday we will visit Pipilotti Rist’s sound room at the Kunsthaus and get a professional introduction to this magical sound installation. During the course week there will be exciting inputs from composer Julia Schwarz and film composer Niki Reiser.
Subject-specific
- Modul 1Autonomous Music (Katharina Nohl)
- Modul 2Music for Performative Arts (Kaspar Ewald)
- Modul 3Film and Media Composition (André Bellmont)
- Modul 4Audio Pieces (Michel Roth)
- Modul 5Sound Spaces (Michel Roth)
- Modul 6Electro-Acoustic Composition (Philippe Kocher)
Admission
Young musicians, composers, students aged 17–24.
Prize winners of the SJMW competitions Classica, Jazz&Pop, FreeSpace and Composition or interested prize winners and music students from other European countries. A maximum of 36 participants (5–6 per module) will be admitted. A short motivation letter must be submitted with the application and 3 module priorities must be indicated. Definitive admission and allocation are made by the organisation
The project was initiated by the Swiss Youth Music Competition (SJMW) and is financially supported by the FONDATION SUISA and the Accentus Foundation. It is organised by the Loc.Artium association.