Still image of A.N. performing 'Panache' for voice solo, from a video recording by Oscar Loeser
Poster: Int. Festival of Vocal Performance Art, Sound & Music DESIGNING VOICES 2023 © Alex Nowitz
![Score of 'Vom Glühen der Glut' [On the glowing of the embers] for orchestra and smartphones by A.N. (premiered 2022)](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0d0ef216-635d-45e2-b581-8e43fc9ce571/03f92047-2bb5-4386-a025-4d8ff114d78c_rw_1200.png?h=32a2dad0d42f9d69e6310797a291755f)
Score of 'Vom Glühen der Glut' [On the glowing of the embers] for orchestra and smartphones by A.N. (premiered 2022)
![The strophonion – a gesture-controlled live electronics by A.N. This model has been manufactured at STEIM in 2014 by Nicolò Merendino [cases] and Sukandar Kartadinata [electronics]. Image by Janina Janke.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0d0ef216-635d-45e2-b581-8e43fc9ce571/6a11eab7-3d5d-466e-aff7-a9279c9e5c77_rw_3840.JPG?h=51a88b5184b2ff2fd3bb49547759199f)
The strophonion – a gesture-controlled live electronics by A.N. This model has been manufactured at STEIM in 2014 by Nicolò Merendino [cases] and Sukandar Kartadinata [electronics]. Image by Janina Janke.
Still image of A.N. performing in Timbisha (Death Valley, California), documented by Sabine Vogel during their residency at the Villa Aurora, Los Angeles (2022)
Chapter by A.N. in: 'Machinic Assemblages of Desire: Deleuze and Artistic Research 3', ed. by Paulo de Assis & Paulo Giudici/Orpheus Institute (Leuven University Press 2021)
Still image of A.N. performing 'Untitled' for voice and gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion), DOCK 11, Berlin 2016
![Score of 'Ich bin das Volk' [I am the people] for large orchestra by A.N. (2021; publ. 2023)](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/0d0ef216-635d-45e2-b581-8e43fc9ce571/dab225a1-11f9-46e4-b073-f0b65a2c007b_rw_1920.png?h=1fe07d0a4f9afae6964ff6bc5caeae15)
Score of 'Ich bin das Volk' [I am the people] for large orchestra by A.N. (2021; publ. 2023)
© Sebastian Rausch: Alex Nowitz performing at DESIGNING VOICES 2023
NEWS
[fellowship] awarded under the leadership of Dr. Manja Schüle by the Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur [Ministry for Science, Research and Culture] of the Land Brandenburg, Germany. Jury members for music: Florentina Fien, Alexander Hollensteiner and Tom Österreicher.
UPCOMING
22 November 2023: A.N. Sounding the Human Potential: The voice in my works
a 40-min. zoom lecture at The Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow as part of Audio Art Festival, Krakow curated by Marek Chołoniewski
https://audio.art.pl/2023/
https://audio.art.pl/2023/
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25 November 2023: A.N. In the Thicket of the Invisible Wires
a solo concert performance for voice, live electronics (strophonion) and video at Hevre (Krakow) as part of Audio Art Festival, Krakow curated by Marek Chołoniewski
https://audio.art.pl/2023/
https://audio.art.pl/2023/
RECENT RECORDINGS & PUBLICATIONS
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Alex Nowitz in conversation with Volker Straebel
(Dean of Music, CalArts)
at the Villa Aurora, Los Angeles 2022,
discussing
Sieben Eintragungen: Aus dem Tagebuch eines Lautklangkünstlers
(Dean of Music, CalArts)
at the Villa Aurora, Los Angeles 2022,
discussing
Sieben Eintragungen: Aus dem Tagebuch eines Lautklangkünstlers
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ABOUT
Alex Nowitz is a composer and vocal performance artist from Germany. He also appears as improviser, sound artist and musician and works as artistic researcher, author and curator.
His compositions comprise vocal and instrumental chamber music, full-length operas, orchestral pieces, electro-acoustic music, multimedia formats, music for dance and spoken theatre. In 2021 the Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg recorded the study for large orchestra Ich bin das Volk [I am the people] conducted by Christian Köhler. In April 2022, conducted by Antonello Manacorda, the Kammerakademie Potsdam commissioned and premiered his work for orchestra and smartphones Vom Glühen der Glut [On the glowing of the embers].
As vocal performance artist starting in 1989, A.N. shares the stage with a great number of musicians, with vocalists as well as with dancers and actors. The most recent projects include BLONOVO with Sabine Vogel (DE, fl) & Frédéric Blondy (FR, pno), OPERADICALS with Tone Åse (NO, voc/elec), Franziska Baumann (CH, voc/elec) & Sten Sandell (SE, pno/voc) or MASUAL with Sukandar Kartadinata (DE, egtr/elec) & Matthias Bauer (DE, db).
Composer-performer A.N. presents extended vocal performance art often applying custom, wireless and gesture-controlled live electronics, most notably the strophonion. Both in his vocal performance art and in his compositions dedicated to others, he explores the notion of multivocality. In 2019 he releases the dissertation 'Monsters I Love: On multivocal arts,' a documented artistic research project featuring a number of essays together with audio and video material of either studio productions or live performances. Based on this work he was awarded a doctoral degree in 'Performative and Mediated Practices with Specialisation in Opera' by the Stockholm University of the Arts.
Since 2008 A.N. publishes essays and articles written in both German and English. The most recent one titled 'Sprache und Spannung: Aspekte der vielstimmigen Stimme im Kontext musikalischer Improvisation' [Language and Tension: Aspects of the multivocal voice within the frame of musical improvisation] appears in the journal Improfil (Berlin 2022, No. 85).
Exploring the philosophical potential of extended vocal performance art he composed the chapter with the title 'Assemblages of Multivocal and Schizophonic Practices: Unleashing the machined voice' published in Machinic Assemblages of Desire. Deleuze and Artistic Research 3 (Orpheus Institute Ghent), edited by Paolo de Assis & Paolo Giudici (Leuven University Press, 2021).
Exploring the philosophical potential of extended vocal performance art he composed the chapter with the title 'Assemblages of Multivocal and Schizophonic Practices: Unleashing the machined voice' published in Machinic Assemblages of Desire. Deleuze and Artistic Research 3 (Orpheus Institute Ghent), edited by Paolo de Assis & Paolo Giudici (Leuven University Press, 2021).
In 2022 A.N. was fellow at the Villa Aurora, Los Angeles. In 2023 he receives the fellowship Musikfonds Stipendium III, Berlin as part of 'Neustart Kultur' provided by the Federal Minister of Germany for Culture and Media, Claudia Roth.
Initiated in 2021 in Potsdam and Berlin, A.N. curates the second edition of the International Festival for Vocal Performance Art, Sound and Music DESIGNING VOICES with this year's title 'Vokalaktionen' taking place from 26 to 28 October 2023 at the Paretz Academy, the fabrik Potsdam and the French Church Potsdam.
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DETAILED INFORMATION
PAST WORKS & PROJECTS
in 2023
17 November 2023, 19:00: ZwischenZweiZeit & A.N.: DOMINOEFFEKT
[Domino effect] is a project by the Munich collective Karen Janker & Bettina Theil-Marinkovic (dance) and Georg Janker (double bass) & Sunk Pöschl (drums) inviting A.N. (voice & live electronics) for a joint residency with a public showing at the Schloß Blumenthal, close to Augsburg, Bavaria. The series at Schloß Blumenthal is curated by Sabine Karb.
https://fb.me/e/vj4MRvaKe
https://sabinekarb.de/residenzen-in-blumenthal/residenz-6
[Domino effect] is a project by the Munich collective Karen Janker & Bettina Theil-Marinkovic (dance) and Georg Janker (double bass) & Sunk Pöschl (drums) inviting A.N. (voice & live electronics) for a joint residency with a public showing at the Schloß Blumenthal, close to Augsburg, Bavaria. The series at Schloß Blumenthal is curated by Sabine Karb.
https://fb.me/e/vj4MRvaKe
https://sabinekarb.de/residenzen-in-blumenthal/residenz-6
11 November 2023: TRAUMTEXT2022
a live performance by Thorsten Müller based on Heiner Müller's TRAUMTEXT (1995) with A.N. (voice), Jürgen Kupke (clarinet), Nicolas Schulze (piano, electronics) and Thorsten Müller (bass clarinet, fixed sounds) at the museum FLUXUS+ as part of the Unidram Festival Potsdam.
https://traumtext2022.de/
https://www.facebook.com/events/676434764166089?ref=newsfeed
a live performance by Thorsten Müller based on Heiner Müller's TRAUMTEXT (1995) with A.N. (voice), Jürgen Kupke (clarinet), Nicolas Schulze (piano, electronics) and Thorsten Müller (bass clarinet, fixed sounds) at the museum FLUXUS+ as part of the Unidram Festival Potsdam.
https://traumtext2022.de/
https://www.facebook.com/events/676434764166089?ref=newsfeed
26 – 28 October 2023: 19:00 (introduction) | 20:00 (concert):
DESIGNING VOICES—International Festival for Vocal Performance Art, Sound & Music: "Vokalaktionen"
The second edition of the festival presents vocal performance artists and musicians with an unparalleled, unique approach to sound the human voice. This year's motto is "Vokalaktionen". Consisting of the composer-performers TONE ÅSE (NO), FRANZISKA BAUMANN (CH), ALEX NOWITZ (DE) & STEN SANDELL (SE), the vocal quartet operadicals opens the festival at the PARETZ Akademie with "Vokalaktionen 1" and closes it at the Französische Kirche POTSDAM with "Vokalaktionen 2". Presenting themselves in solo up to quartet formations, they also create beautifully atmospheric vocal landscapes in the form of choral miniatures that they develop together with singers mainly from two local choirs, the Ketziner Havelklänge & Salto Tonale. This will be supported by live composing practices, such as 'soundpainting', a gesture-based, musical sign language that SABINE VOGEL (DE) applies to introduce contemporary vocal practices to the choral singers. At the heart of the festival is the long night of the peculiar voices Die lange Nacht der kuriosen Stimmen, supported by and taking place at the fabrik POTSDAM, featuring ISABELLE DUTHOIT (FR), KATIA GUEDES (BR/DE), CARL-LUDWIG HÜBSCH (DE), ALEX NOWITZ (DE), CHRISTOPH REISERER (DE) and RICHARD SCOTT (UK/DE) all of whom present themselves as soloists until they enter into a compelling dialogue with one another.
Funded by the Ministry for Science, Research and Culture (MWFK) of the Land Brandenburg and the City of Potsdam (Landeshauptstadt Potsdam), DESIGNING VOICES 2023 partners with the fabrik POTSDAM, the PARETZ Akademie and the Französische Kirche POTSDAM, further with the Netzwerk Neue Musik des Landes Brandenburg, Field-Notes Berlin, Positionen (Texte für aktuelle Musik) and the Rathaus Ketzin.
DESIGNING VOICES—International Festival for Vocal Performance Art, Sound & Music: "Vokalaktionen"
The second edition of the festival presents vocal performance artists and musicians with an unparalleled, unique approach to sound the human voice. This year's motto is "Vokalaktionen". Consisting of the composer-performers TONE ÅSE (NO), FRANZISKA BAUMANN (CH), ALEX NOWITZ (DE) & STEN SANDELL (SE), the vocal quartet operadicals opens the festival at the PARETZ Akademie with "Vokalaktionen 1" and closes it at the Französische Kirche POTSDAM with "Vokalaktionen 2". Presenting themselves in solo up to quartet formations, they also create beautifully atmospheric vocal landscapes in the form of choral miniatures that they develop together with singers mainly from two local choirs, the Ketziner Havelklänge & Salto Tonale. This will be supported by live composing practices, such as 'soundpainting', a gesture-based, musical sign language that SABINE VOGEL (DE) applies to introduce contemporary vocal practices to the choral singers. At the heart of the festival is the long night of the peculiar voices Die lange Nacht der kuriosen Stimmen, supported by and taking place at the fabrik POTSDAM, featuring ISABELLE DUTHOIT (FR), KATIA GUEDES (BR/DE), CARL-LUDWIG HÜBSCH (DE), ALEX NOWITZ (DE), CHRISTOPH REISERER (DE) and RICHARD SCOTT (UK/DE) all of whom present themselves as soloists until they enter into a compelling dialogue with one another.
Funded by the Ministry for Science, Research and Culture (MWFK) of the Land Brandenburg and the City of Potsdam (Landeshauptstadt Potsdam), DESIGNING VOICES 2023 partners with the fabrik POTSDAM, the PARETZ Akademie and the Französische Kirche POTSDAM, further with the Netzwerk Neue Musik des Landes Brandenburg, Field-Notes Berlin, Positionen (Texte für aktuelle Musik) and the Rathaus Ketzin.
12 October 2023: A.N.: Im Dickicht der unsichtbaren Drähte
[In the thicket of the invisible wires] a live performance for voice and live electronics (strophonion) at the annual Villa Aurora event at Silent Green, Berlin.
[In the thicket of the invisible wires] a live performance for voice and live electronics (strophonion) at the annual Villa Aurora event at Silent Green, Berlin.
14 September 2023, 11:00: A.N.: Hierarchical System and Multivocal Arts: Reflections on the practices in different territories of the performing arts
A 20-minute presentation as part of a hybrid international conference from 13-15 September 2023 in Munich and online, called "Theatre Sound (as) Collaboration: Distributed creations, shared agencies", organised by 'Theatermusik heute: Gedanken und Analysen zur aktuellen Praxis der Theatermusik' (David Roesner) at the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität München (LMU).
A 20-minute presentation as part of a hybrid international conference from 13-15 September 2023 in Munich and online, called "Theatre Sound (as) Collaboration: Distributed creations, shared agencies", organised by 'Theatermusik heute: Gedanken und Analysen zur aktuellen Praxis der Theatermusik' (David Roesner) at the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität München (LMU).
14 September 2023, 20:00: A.N.: In the Thicket of the Invisible Wires
A performance for voice and live electronics (strophonion) as part of Digital Care: Evening of the Hands in Rotterdam curated by Marije Baalman shedding light on the legacy of Michel Waisvisz' The Hands. Other guests are vocalist Franziska Baumann (CH) with the sensorglove and Andi Otto (DE) presenting a historical introduction to Waisvisz' work. More infos here.
A performance for voice and live electronics (strophonion) as part of Digital Care: Evening of the Hands in Rotterdam curated by Marije Baalman shedding light on the legacy of Michel Waisvisz' The Hands. Other guests are vocalist Franziska Baumann (CH) with the sensorglove and Andi Otto (DE) presenting a historical introduction to Waisvisz' work. More infos here.
2 September 2023, 16:00: Antonella Bini (Genua) interprets A.N.: Venusfalle
[Venus flytrap {Dionaea muscipula}] for solo flute, as part of the concert series in Strausberg 'Aktuelle Musik in der Marienkriche' curated by Irina Emeliantseva.
[Venus flytrap {Dionaea muscipula}] for solo flute, as part of the concert series in Strausberg 'Aktuelle Musik in der Marienkriche' curated by Irina Emeliantseva.
13 August 2023, 15:00: BAUER & NOWITZ
Duo of Matthias Bauer (double bass) & A.N. at Paretzer Field Music, curated by Sabine Vogel, next to the garden shop 'Caromatisch', Paretzhofer-Str. 48, 14669 Paretz. Second set by the amazing duo 'wassermannvogel' with Sabine Vogel (flutes) & Ute Wassermann (voice, bird whistles).
Duo of Matthias Bauer (double bass) & A.N. at Paretzer Field Music, curated by Sabine Vogel, next to the garden shop 'Caromatisch', Paretzhofer-Str. 48, 14669 Paretz. Second set by the amazing duo 'wassermannvogel' with Sabine Vogel (flutes) & Ute Wassermann (voice, bird whistles).
27 July 2023: MASUAL at Kühlspot Social Club, Berlin.
02 July 2023: "Eksperymentalna Audycja Literacka: #34 / Alex Nowitz" by Lena Czerniawska at Radio Kapital featuring four works by A.N., Ich bin das Volk, The Bird That Did Not Return, Labyrinth and ELLAFSUNEV
https://radiokapital.pl/shows/eksperymentalna-audycja-literacka/34-alex-nowitz/
https://radiokapital.pl/shows/eksperymentalna-audycja-literacka/34-alex-nowitz/
13 June 2023: MASUAL — the trio with Matthias Bauer, Sukandar Kartadinata & A.N.
presents strictly Freeimprovisedelectroacousticnoisevoice Compositions for voice/live electronics, e-guitar/electronics & double bass at Morphine Raum, Berlin. Press release and more information!
presents strictly Freeimprovisedelectroacousticnoisevoice Compositions for voice/live electronics, e-guitar/electronics & double bass at Morphine Raum, Berlin. Press release and more information!
18 May 2023, 20:30: Premiere of A.N.: Die Kammer
[The chamber] for clarinet and button accordion, dedicated to Klariac, Christine Paté (accordion) & Matthias Badczong (clarinet), as part of the opening concert of the new music festival intersonanzen at the Potsdam Museum.
[The chamber] for clarinet and button accordion, dedicated to Klariac, Christine Paté (accordion) & Matthias Badczong (clarinet), as part of the opening concert of the new music festival intersonanzen at the Potsdam Museum.
26 March 2023, 14:00: Performance "From paradigm to paradigm, into the biomic time" by Nandita Kumar
with Merche Blasco, Christian Kesten, Felicity Mangan, A.N. and Ute Wassermann at the daadgalerie Berlin. Co-developed by the performers. The performance is part of the program MaerzMusik (Berliner Festspiele).
with Merche Blasco, Christian Kesten, Felicity Mangan, A.N. and Ute Wassermann at the daadgalerie Berlin. Co-developed by the performers. The performance is part of the program MaerzMusik (Berliner Festspiele).
16 February 2023, 20:00: BLONOVO: Figures Erronées
Frédéric Blondy (FR) piano, A.N. (DE) voice, gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion), Sabine Vogel (DE) flute, objects: Exploratorium Berlin
Frédéric Blondy (FR) piano, A.N. (DE) voice, gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion), Sabine Vogel (DE) flute, objects: Exploratorium Berlin
26 January 2023, 19:00: Opening of the sound installation and exhibition "From paradigm to paradigm, into the biomic time" by Nandita Kumar at the daadgalerie Berlin. Co-developers and part of the sound installation are Merche Blasco, Christian Kesten, Felicity Mangan, A.N. and Ute Wassermann.
22 January 2023, 18:00: A.N.: Doubles & Drones from the Desert (2022) for piccolo/alto flute, voice/live electronics and video (≈30 mins.) and A.N.: Venus-Komplex (≈25 mins.)
consisting of the Venusfalle (2006) for flute solo, Schaumspuren (2015) for voice solo and the electrocacoustic piece Ellafsunev (2014) with Katrin Plümer (flutes) and A.N. (voice, strophonion). Raum für Klang und Architektur, 14612 Falkensee.
January 2023: A.N.: Ich bin das Volk for large orchestra (2021)
as part of the CD "Brandenburg – NEUE MUSIK orchestral" interpreted by Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg [German Film Orchestra Babelsberg] (DFOB) and conducted by Christian Köhler—a co-production by DFOB & Brandenburgischer Verein für Neue Musik [Brandenburgian Association for New Music].
22 January 2023, 18:00: A.N.: Doubles & Drones from the Desert (2022) for piccolo/alto flute, voice/live electronics and video (≈30 mins.) and A.N.: Venus-Komplex (≈25 mins.)
consisting of the Venusfalle (2006) for flute solo, Schaumspuren (2015) for voice solo and the electrocacoustic piece Ellafsunev (2014) with Katrin Plümer (flutes) and A.N. (voice, strophonion). Raum für Klang und Architektur, 14612 Falkensee.
January 2023: A.N.: Ich bin das Volk for large orchestra (2021)
as part of the CD "Brandenburg – NEUE MUSIK orchestral" interpreted by Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg [German Film Orchestra Babelsberg] (DFOB) and conducted by Christian Köhler—a co-production by DFOB & Brandenburgischer Verein für Neue Musik [Brandenburgian Association for New Music].
MAJOR WORKS & PROJECTS
in 2022
Doubles & Drones from the Desert
for voice, piccolo & alto flute, gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion) & video, premiere Klosterscheune Zehdenick 2022
In the thicket of the invisible wires
vocal performance with double bass & gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion), premiere Französische Kirche Potsdam 2022
More infos here...
vocal performance with double bass & gesture-controlled live electronics (strophonion), premiere Französische Kirche Potsdam 2022
More infos here...
MAJOR WORKS & PROJECTS
from 2021 to 2019
Designing Voices
international festival for vocal performance art, sound and music, Potsdam & Berlin 2021
international festival for vocal performance art, sound and music, Potsdam & Berlin 2021
Monsters I Love
documented artistic research project, Stockholm 2019
documented artistic research project, Stockholm 2019
ALL WORKS & PROJECTS
from 2022 to 2019
A.N., Designing Voices Berlin, 6 Nov. 2021 — Photo: Sebastian Rausch
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ENQUIRIES
(scores, booking, etc.)
Thank you!
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