#LIEDINNOVATION 2024
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The inspiration for the 5th call is Goethe’s 2nd Swiss journey in 1779, during which he also roamed through the Valais. What made traveling so fascinating both then and today? How do people engage with their surroundings, their inner and outer worlds? What changes emerge from this?
The performance will take place in November 2024 as part of the multi media festival BergBuchBrig at Zeughaus Kultur in Brig-Glis.
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For #LIEDINNOVATION 2024, 20 ensembles engaged with innovation, creativity, and a willingness to communicate, bringing fresh approaches and new perspectives to the genre of Lied. Thirteen ensembles particularly focused on the theme of Goethe, especially on his journey through the Valais and his inner exploration.
In close alignment with Goethe's quote "Journey to the true self," we are pleased to present 4 artistically diverse ensembles as finalists of #LIEDINNOVATION 2024.
Among them, the collective INTER I STICES emerges as the winning ensemble of #LIEDINNOVATION 2024, which takes hiking literally and invites the audience to experience Goethe in music and words during a walk through the old town of Brig, as well as to see themselves as part of this inner/outer journey.
TONI MING GEIGER, PAUL LOCHER & FRANZISKA HEINZEN
WINNER DAS WANDERN. LIVE AUDIOWALK
FLURINA ZEHNDER PIANO & COMPOSER
VALÉRIAN BITSCHNAU TENOR
LEILA VIDAL SEPHIHA DRAMATURG & DIRECTOR
The collective INTER I STICES remarkably implemented the theme of Goethe's second journey to Switzerland in their project. By creating a physical journey where the audience walks through the old town of Brig together with the ensemble, the idea of being on ones way and the transformation of relationships becomes tangible. Goethe's notions of the Valais are confronted with modern perspectives through the presentation and juxtaposition of songs, recited, and sung texts. This innovative approach, combined with classical song repertoire, sound experiments, and improvisation, transcends the traditional barriers of the concert format and creates an inviting atmosphere. The jury acknowledges the experimental spirit of the concept as well as its accessible and participatory character, which provides a fresh perspective on the art of song and actively engages the audience. This approach contributes to bringing art and culture into the community and bringing people together, aligning with the original meaning of "Polis" (city) as a sociocultural conglomerate.
FINALISTS
SPEAK LOW
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JOHANNS WORMS BARITONE
NASTI PIANO -
With SPEAK LOW, the song duo enters an artistic space that goes beyond the traditional format of a song recital. By further exploring the inner and outer Goethe theme of wandering, namely the textual and physical search for identity, they create an impressive, multifaceted, and participatory connection between past and present, viewing traditional gender roles through the lens of the current gender discourse.
By creating a musical queerspace where audience members can dress differently from the provided wardrobe and thus slip into a role themselves, they question their own exterior and interior from the outset. With the musical-historical arc from classical art song to improvisation and evolving soundscapes, as well as a world premiere, the duo offers a musical-literary space for the highly topical issue of gender imagery and sensitises in a poetic-emotional way to the LGBTQIA+ theme. With their work, they contribute to breaking societal taboos and promoting an inclusive and diverse culture. In doing so, they actively engage the audience in a dialogue about identity and community. With their artistic vision and sensitive handling of social issues, they present themselves as a duo that redefines the boundaries of traditional music performance and opens up new perspectives.
MUSICAL JOURNEY
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DEPARTURE DUO
NINA GUO SOPRANO
EDWARD KASS DOUBLE BASS -
The duo dedicates itself in a fascinating way to exploring sounds on a (musical) journey, illuminating micro-/macroscopic aspects. In the unusual combination of soprano and double bass, the dangers of a journey, including the loss of memory and one's own soul, are lyrically and fragmentarily depicted.
The duo presents exciting works in an interesting lineup, performing with precision, mischievousness, and passion at the highest virtuosic level. By engaging with contemporary, new, and experimental music repertoire, they contribute to the diversity of contemporary song and thereby open up new horizons for the audience and musical discourse.
Particularly noteworthy in the concept is also the involvement of the audience in the stage action, as they become not only part of the performance acoustically but also physically, experiencing the musicians from an unusual proximity. The unconventional lineup alone can be innovative enough, captivating the listening experience from the first notes. Their unconventional approach offers a refreshing view on the last centuries of music history, providing a new perspective that contrasts strongly with traditional interpretations.
WANDERLUST
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AMANDA BECKER SOPRANO & JAZZ SINGER
JUSTINE ECKHAUT LIED PIANIST
HILA KULIK JAZZ PIANIST
LAVIA LIN LIVE PAINTING & PERFORMER -
With their approach to combining jazz and classical repertoire and creating seamless transitions through improvisations and instant composing, the quartet impressively transcends the boundaries of music genres – much like crossing boundaries on a journey. Particularly, the singer Amanda Becker excels in her ability to oscillate between styles. This interstylistic approach has the potential to reach new audience segments and foster a broader understanding of jazz and classical music.
The visual element of live painting expands the concert experience and opens the traditional format to a more holistic perception. The thematic engagement with (black) feminist poetry lends sociocultural relevance to the programme and allows for a multifaceted reflection on societal structures.
Overall, the quartet creates an immediate and multifaceted musical-artistic communication with the audience through its musical, visual, and thematic approach, demonstrating an outstanding ability to joyfully establish new, boundary-crossing connections between different art forms and society.