Danish Contemporary Electroacoustic Music
Workshop of
Ejnar Kanding (Denmark) – composer &
Ejnar Kanding (Denmark) – composer &
Irina-Kalina Goudeva (Denmark) – performer
(© Anne Sander / © Claude Dussez)
with music by
Ejnar Kanding, Morten Olsen,
Line Tjørnhøj, Jexper Holmen
& Bo Lundby-Jæger
* * *
Ejnar Kanding
(b. 1965) is internationally known for his unique colourful sound, where the
electronic and acoustic are united in complex textures, physical energy and
delicate simplicity. To him, music should not embellish, but be a realm of
fantasy. He originally got his degree in composition and musical theory at The
Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in 1993, followed by studies at
IRCAM in Paris and with Prof. Lev Koblyakov in Jerusalem in 1994 and 1995, but
has since his debut concert from the Royal Danish Academy of Music in 1996
specialised in composing music for computer and instruments. This has led to an
extensive use of the software MaxMSP
in the development of his works and as an instrument in live performances.
Despite this obsession, his focus is never the electronic experiment, but
always the musical expression, form and phrase.
The
way Kanding uses the digital mixing console and MaxMSP as an instrument is pioneering the new role for musicians,
known as live electronics or sound direction. His virtuosity in this field has
led to numerous performances of own works or others of both improvised and
written music with various groups, for example works by Saariaho, Nono and
Stockhausen; and ensembles as Cikada,
Ars Nova, Jack Quartet, Transit
Ensemble and Adpater. As artistic
director and executive sound director in ensemble Contemporánea, he has travelled around the world. The ensemble
specializes in smooth and distinguished performance of works involving live
electronics. In his capacity to lead Contemporánea
and being chairman of the electroacoustic concert series EarUnit, Kanding has commissioned and premiered many works by
Danish and foreign composers.
The
internationally renowned double bassist, singer, performance artist and
interdisciplinary collaborator Irina-Kalina Goudeva was born in Sofia (Bulgaria), and since 1990 she has lived in
Denmark and Switzerland. She studied double bass with Prof. Todor Toshev at the
Sofia State Conservatory (currently “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov” National Academy
of Music) and with Franco Petracchi at the Geneva Conservatory of Music
(receiving the First Virtuoso Prize in 1993).
While
pursuing her activities as a principal player in different orchestras such as
Sinfonietta de Lausanne, Neuchâtel Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of the
Royal Danish Theatre, she also found great inspiration in performing chamber
music. She has collaborated with many ensembles including Ensemble 415, Swiss Consort,
Kordepan, Ensemble Midtwest, Esbjerg
Ensemble, Danish Chamber Players,
Musica Vitae in Växjö and others.
Eclectic
by nature, she experiments with crossovers between different genres of music.
Her repertoire spans over music from the Renaissance and Baroque to modern
tango, jazz and electroacoustic music. She often uses her contralto voice as an
integral part of her performance, adding a new musical and theatrical dimension
to her art. Her passion for contemporary music has resulted in collaboration with
renowned composers/conductors including Pierre Boulez, György Kurtág, Helmut
Lachenmann, Heinz Holliger, Emilio Pomarico, Pierre-André Valade, as well as
ensembles such as Contrechamps, Athelas Sinfonietta, Ars Nova and Ensemble Modern.
Irina-Kalina
Goudeva’s love for theatre and drama led her to the creation of a number of
multimedia performances, such as Lavarayaha,
The Seventh Woman, Landscapes, Vodosvet, Oración Del Fuego
and Recomenzar el infinito.
She
has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, Scandinavia, South
America, Cuba, Australia and the USA and was awarded several prizes at
international and national competitions.
Irina-Kalina
Goudeva has been collaborating with a large number of composers, the majority
of whom have written pieces for her, totalling over 35 works. She has recorded
CDs with numerous labels including Dacapo,
Wilhelm & Hansen, Kadima Collective, Gallo & Fidesson and others.
(© Claude Dussez)