THOMAS WITZMANN

composer / percussionist

 

 

 

 

"The pigs´ orchestra´s rehearsal", "Galactic Housemusic", "Raining sheets of music and drilling bows", "Where knives are whetting and beanpods rustle", "On the staircase of sounds" " Some of these headlines roughly describe the variety of Witzmann´s music-theatre. Have fun with reading the press reviews!

Have a look to the videos - signed as :
das minimum,  Küchenchaos,  Wanderlust,
Gratkowski-Witzmann

Take some time to listen to  parts of music in the catalogue of works - signed as z.B. Zeug für Schlagquartett: 'Cymbala'   (for Windows Media Player ) or r z.B. Zeug für Schlagquartett: 'Cymbala' m (for RealPlayer). Those who are interested may read along in the score. Just click on
the titles in the catalogue of works for further information. Any questions or suggestions?: Please
don´t hesitate to contact the composer.

"My main interest in my work aims to increase the unique character of the single performance. The deliberate integration of moments of improvisation, theatrical elements and relations to space or architecture in the musical process supports and demands the perception with ear and eye." Th. W.
(read more in the Interview)
All translations by Silke Schloen

  

 

biography

1958 born in Coburg / Germany
1980 - 85 Study of percussion at the Musikhochschule Köln with Prof. Christoph Caskel and Peter Giger
since 1982 Concerts as interpret or soloist in New Music. Numerous world-premieres and radio-productions: with Clarence Barlow, Carola Bauckholt, Jörg Birkenkötter, John Cage, Vinko Globokar, Hans-Werner Henze, Mauricio Kagel, Johannes Kalitzke, Helmut Lachenmann, Robert HP Platz, Manos Tsangaris, Walter Zimmermann a.o.
since 1986 Involvement in the border zone between New Music, improvisation, musictheatre und art.
1992 Grant in Akademie Schloß Solitude in Stuttgart
since 1993

Music for theatres such as Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Schauspielhäuser Frankfurt und Köln
1999 Grant for abroad by the cultural ministry of NRW
since 2000 Workshops and Performances at faculties of architecture: Glasgow School of Art, RWTH Aachen, Academie van Bouwkunst Maastricht (Music and Architecture)
2005 composer in residence ENSEMBLIA 2005
seit 2005 dramatic producer "Fonds Experimentelles Musiktheater"
NRW KULTURsekretariat

 

recent choice of works

2009
.. Küche, Diele, Bad ...
12 flats in the house of Europe
premier: 24 June .2009 ENSEMBLIA Mönchengladbach


 
2006
hortulus animae

Reiberei
 
2005
Pamina - Projektion

ausgepackt

Bank - Geheimnis
 
2004
kokooning

Um Formung
 
2003
on - off, ein Feuerwerk

revue - passiert

Berufung
 
2002
Video - Musicam 4.1

In Fusionen
 

 

 

discography

 

as composer:
Zeug für Schlagquartett (RA 024, 1998, Random Acoustics) Schlagquartett Köln
 
 
as percussionist:
Horst Grabosch: Alltage (JHM 80, 1996, Jazz Haus Musik) mit Horst Grabosch - tr, Markus Wienstroer - git, Frank Köllges - perc
 
Horst Grabosch: Die Kälte des Weltraums (JHM 48, 1991, Jazz Haus Musik) mit Horst Grabosch - tr, Michael Heupel - fl, Achim Krämer - perc
 
directors (JHM 40, 1991, Jazz Haus Musik) mit Albrecht Maurer - keyb, vl
 
Georg Gräwe & GrubenklangOrchester (hat ART CD 6028, 1989, HAT HUT RECORDS)