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Lisa Ullén: Klavier
AFTER SUN 2.0
“My music reflects a musical practice spanning three decades. I make music that does not really belong to any known genre, but shifts between, through and outside various idioms — jazz, new music, and more — until a distinct genre nevertheless emerges. This is music that stems from an experience of not really belonging to anything, of being in between identities and traditions; music that makes use of melodic and rhythmical fragments but refuses to settle within expressions that already exist, and instead lets the music have several layers where different textures and rhythms pass
through each other.”
“one of the most honest and realistic musical depictions of human identity ever created.”
Garreth Brooke, A Closer Listen
A native of Seoul, Korea, Lisa Ullén grew up in the northern part of Sweden, and is based in Stockholm. She is a graduate of the Royal Musical Academy in Stockholm, Sweden, where she studied classical piano in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Since the late 1990s, she has devoted herself entirely to improvised music, in the form of free jazz as well as avant garde and contemporary classical and experimental music. A versatile player with a singular musical vision, Ullén has repeatedly proven her ability to imprint her absolute sense for tonal texture on whatever musical context she appears in.
Internationally recognized as a distinctive and uncompromising musician and composer, Ullén over the last decade has produced more than fifteen albums. Ullén has collaborated extensively with many well-known Swedish artists and dancers, and has also scored several dramatic productions. She’s also performed and recorded music by contemporary composers. In 2018 she released the triple album Piano Works and Ep Sekvenser och Lager on her own label Disorder. In Oktober 2018 Lisa Ullén was awarded the Jazzcomposer of the Year-prize by the Swedish Radio.
Viktoras Orestas Vagusevičius: präpariertes Klavier
Anthologie des Präparierten Klaviers: John Cage – Sonaten und Interludien
Mit diesem Konzertprogramm begibt sich der Pianist Viktoras Orestas Vagusevičius auf eine klangliche Entdeckungsreise in die Welt des präparierten Klaviers. Im Zentrum steht John Cages Zyklus Sonaten und Interludien für präpariertes Klavier (1946–48), ein Schlüsselwerk der musikalischen Moderne. Durch die gezielte Platzierung von Objekten zwischen den Saiten verwandelt sich das Klavier in ein vielschichtiges Schlaginstrument und eröffnet ein neuartiges Spektrum an Klangfarben und Resonanzen. Cage hinterfragte damit radikal die traditionellen Vorstellungen von Klang, Harmonie und Instrumentalität und schuf ein Werk, das bis heute nichts von seiner Aktualität verloren hat. Neben der musikalischen Interpretation vermittelt der Künstler Einblicke in die historische Entstehung, die Technik der Präparation sowie seine persönliche künstlerische Beziehung zu diesem Werk. Ziel ist es, eine intensive Hörerfahrung zu schaffen, in der sich die Grenzen zwischen Interpret und Publikum auflösen und gemeinsames musikalisches Erforschen möglich wird.
Viktoras Orestas Vagusevičius is a versatile and innovative pianist, recognized for his creative approach and stylistic breadth. He completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre under Prof. Petras Geniušas and earned his Master’s degree in Piano and Contemporary Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, studying with Prof. Avedis Kouyoumdjian and Prof. Mathilde Hoursiangou. Viktoras is particularly known for his compelling performances that fuse contemporary repertoire with improvisation and conceptual programming. He is an active performer of contemporary music in both solo and ensemble settings and frequently collaborates on multidisciplinary projects. In addition to his concert work, he is also a sought-after accompanist for silent cinema. Following a successful debut at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival and participation in specialized masterclasses, he has become a regular figure in silent film performance and festival organization. While his artistic focus centers on contemporary and classical music, Viktoras maintains a broad international presence. He has performed across Europe and on other continents, appearing in major venues such as the Kaunas State Philharmonic, Belgrade Philharmonic Hall, Teatro Civico, and Wiener Konzerthaus. As a soloist and chamber musician, he collaborates with various ensembles and chamber orchestras.
www.vagusevicius.com
Wallumrød/Gismervik
Christian Wallumrød: Klavier, Synthesizer
Jan Martin Gismervik: Schlagzeug, Elektronik
Christian Wallumrød and Jan Martin Gismervik have collaborated in various constellations since 2023. As a duo, they take a reductionist approach, working to assemble different blocks of timbre, rhythmic fragments, and textures, allowing chance to play an active role while maintaining a strong sense of direction in the music’s overall form.
Christian Wallumrød has worked as a musician and composer since 1992, and he is considered one of the most prominent and influential musicians of his generation in Norway. Following his debut on ECM Records (“No Birch”, issued in 1996), he has released a string of albums with Christian Wallumrød Ensemble, all to considerable critical acclaim. The record ’Outstairs’ was rewarded with the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannsprisen 2013). While being the composer and leader of his own ensemble, Wallumrød also focusses strongly on improvisation with another longstanding collaboration, the French/Norwegian group Dans Les Arbres, also with two releases on ECM. These groups have represented the main body of his work over the last 20 years, and both are touring extensively.
Jan Martin Gismervik is a drummer and composer based in Oslo. He is educated at the Norwegian Academy of Music and works within experimental music. As a performer, he approaches the instrument in a reductionist manner, though the music he plays is not necessarily reductionist in character. Gismervik has developed a repertoire and a sonic palette within a relatively low dynamic range, allowing the drum set to open up in a distinct way. Over time, his setup has expanded to include melodic percussion as well as harmonium, viola, and synthesizers. His artistic expression revolves around combining different timbres, attacks, and gestures in a way that remains rhythmically grounded. This approach also forms the basis of his compositional practice, which has become a significant part of his work.