Anniversary concerts of the Konus Quartet
The Bernese saxophone quartet, which specializes in contemporary music, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary at the beginning of May with the premiere of four pieces written especially for the ensemble.
The Cone Quartet consists of the Bernese musicians Christian Kobi, Fabio Oehrli, Jonas Tschanz and Stefan Rolli. Since its foundation in 2003, it has specialized in the latest contemporary and experimental music. The internationally renowned ensemble works intensively with contemporary musicians and has premiered numerous works, for example by Aargau composer and Swiss Music Prize winner Jürg Frey.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Konus is presenting a varied showcase of its work on three concert evenings in Bern, inviting the audience into the musical cosmos of the quartet: For the anniversary, the ensemble has commissioned four pieces from personalities who have been particularly influential in their artistic development to date. Pieces by the Berlin-based Canadian composer Chiyoko Szlavnics, by the Zurich-based electronic musician and composer Tomas Korber together with the Austrian percussionist and composer Martin Brandlmayr, by Klaus Lang and by the American composer and sound artist William Dougherty will be premiered in Bern. They will all be present during the performance of their pieces.
A program that looks to the future without ignoring the past - for example, the concept of Austrian organist and composer Klaus Lang interweaves the precise, minimalist sound of the Konus Quartet with the impressively archaic singing of the Georgian women's choir from Gori. Another guest is the string quartet Quatuor Bozzini, which is considered one of the best in the world - together with the Konus Quartet, it will perform the world premiere of the new composition by Chiyoko Szlavnics.
The program in detail
Interlaced Resonances: Friday, May 5, 2023, Bern, Aula in the PROGR, 7.30 p.m.
The Konus Quartet will perform the newly composed work by Chiyoko Szlavnics (UA) with the Quatuor Bozzini, as well as Continuité, fragilité, résonance by Jürg Frey.
Voltage Cracklings: Saturday, May 6, 2023, Bern, auditorium in the PROGR, 7.30 p.m.
Together with the two musicians Martin Brandlmayr (percussion) and Tomas Korber (electronics), the Konus Quartet will play a collective composition (UA). In addition, the quartet will present a new piece by William Dougherty (UA) with the inclusion of live electronics.
Air Vibrations: Sunday, May 7, 2023, Bern, Church of St. Peter and Paul, 7:30 p.m.
Together with the Gori Women's Choir and Tamriko Kordzaia (synthesizer), the Konus Quartet will perform a composition by and with Klaus Lang (UA).
