Hildur Guðnadóttir (*1982)
Ascent for orchestra (2009) CH
Opaque for string orchestra (2009) CH
Baer ffor cello and string orchestra (2014) CH
For Petra for orchestra (2022) CH
Nik Bärtsch (*1971)
Aphantasia for Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile trio and orchestra (2024)UA
Commissioned by the Basel Sinfonietta
With the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
Titus Engel, conductor
Martin Jaggi, solo cello
Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile: Nik Bärtsch, piano; Sha, alto saxophone and bass clarinet; Nicolas Stocker, drums and percussion
Lena Schmidt, lighting
Laurent Zufferey, Assistant Conductor
The Swiss composer and pianist Nik Bärtsch refrains from any virtuosic caprioles in his music, which is marked by rituals, reduction and the allure of repetition. He is inspired by an understanding of time that stems from Zen Buddhism. With his various ensemble formations, Nik Bärtsch has crafted a completely independent style of music that oscillates between jazz, funk and minimal music.
While his Zen funk group “Ronin” has been performing every Monday for almost 15 years at »Club Exil« in Zurich and touring through Asia, Europe, North America and Africa, with his acoustic formation “Mobile” Bärtsch practices a seemingly meditative, sonically and rhythmically highly idiosyncratic “Ritual Groove Music”, which is now for the first time being combined with a full orchestra in his new work commissioned by the Basel Sinfonietta.
The Icelandic composer and cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir has already won numerous Grammys, Emmys and an Oscar for her film score to the US thriller blockbuster Joker. More recently, she made waves with her soundtrack to the Oscar-nominated drama Tár about a star conductor and a concertmaster of a major Berlin orchestra (featuring Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss as a musician couple).
The first part of this concert showcases music by Hildur Guðnadóttir from her various creative phases: Ascent and Opaque from her early concept album Without Sinking as well as Baer from the album Saman and, as a special highlight, the piece For Petra from the current feature film Tár.
Pre-concert talk at 6:15 pm
In cooperation with the Kaserne Basel and the Offbeat Jazzfestival Basel
With the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
UA World premiere
CH Swiss premiere
Program subject to change
