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Interview with Charles Prémont before the show at Perte-de-Signal, Montréal, March 2008. scroll down for short version! His interest lies in the "space in-between": between music and theatre, music and language, between music and the visual arts. For example: ja es ist plötzlich wärmer geworden (2003), music theatre, a collaboration with Steffi Weismann. His pieces work with the space which opens up between the sound of language and the parallel, non-illustrative action (-cycling 1990; des Kleinen Übergewicht 1995, 45 seconds 2006). They make use of everyday spaces and their sounds, including works made for train stations, in which minimal sounds of winds and brass are spread over the station and mixed with sounds of trains and passers-by (nordbahnhof 1996, bahnhof westend 1996, bahnhof zoo 1997). willkommen zu hause / welcome home is written for the squeaking doors of the Nordbahnhof station in Berlin and two violins which mirror the door sounds: the passers-by experience the music while on the move. In (o.T.) für klarinette in einem raum mit langem nachhall 1 (1999) and (o.T.) … 2 (2000) [(without title) for clarinet in a space with a long echo] the clarinet plays to its own echo as a second voice, microtonally, and thus refers to the presence of space. parochial (1998) – for the group "Die Maulwerker" (4 female voices, trumpet/voice, clarinet/voice, alto saxophone + additional instruments) – was written especially for the Parochialkirche Berlin: sculptural shaped sounds are moved in space, while trumpet, clarinet and sax move mostly outside the space and so extending acoustic perception beyond the walls of the church. zunge lösen [releasing tongue] (solo version 1999/ ensemble version 2001/ trio version 2002) - for tongue and breath - works with the root of articulation and is both a work for voice and a scenic composition, music-theatre in a compact form. His recent works unter umständen verabschieden wir uns behalten etwas in erinnerung was wesentlicher erscheint als das gegenwärtige fragen aber nicht mehr [possibly we take leave keep remembering something which seems more essential than the present but don't ask anymore] (2004) for water, paper, voice; tongue, breath, larynx; trumpet (trio) and o.T. (atem, zunge, etwas kehlkopf) [without title (breath, tongue, some larynx)] (2005) for voice solo analyze the vocal production and understand breath, tongue and larynx as separate layers in 'counterpoint'. Since 1990 his compositions have been performed at (selection): Radialsystem V, Berlin, 2012 Operadagen Rotterdam / De Player / Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, 2012 Festival MIKROTON, Dampfzentrale Bern, 2011 Unerhörte Musik, BKA, Ensemble Tangible Bathtub, Berlin, 2011 Association and Ensemble Rue du Nord, Théâtre 2.21, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2010 maulwerker performing music: SPEAKERS, Ensemble Maulwerker, Berlin, 2010 Concert de Noel, Ensemble CERCLES, La Chaux-de-Fonds/ Lausanne/ Bienne, Switzerland, 2009 Galerienrundgang kulturradio RBB, Berlin 2009 Festival SPIEL09, Andorf, Austria, 2009 Festival Les Amplitudes, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, 2009 Experimental Ontological Series, Ontological Theatre, New York, 2008 Bowerbird, Philadelphia, 2008 Experimental Intermedia, New York, 2008 Goethe Institute, Montreal, 2008 Perte de Signal, Montreal, 2008 New Music Concerts, Toronto, 2008 The Red Room, Baltimore, 2008 Theater Mannheim, 2007 Q-O2 Brussels 2007, Dangerous Curve Los Angeles 2007, California Institute of the Arts 2007, Diapason Soundart Gallery New York 2007 and 2008, TESLA Berlin 2006, KKL Lucerne, Switzerland 2006, Museum Moderner Kunst MUMOK Vienna/Austria 2005, Klangwerkstatt Berlin 2005, Galerie complice Berlin 2005, staatsbank Berlin 2003, Museo Vostell Malpartida/Spain 2001, Festival "moments musicaux" in Aarau/Switzerland 2000, Zionskirche Berlin 1999, Festival "ESCUTA!" Rio de Janeiro 1998, "Unerhörte Musik" Theater Magdeburg, Germany 1998, Parochialkirche Berlin 1998, Festival "CLUSTER - Forum Neue Musik Thüringen" Weimar, Germany 1997, Center for Contemporary Arts Glasgow 1996, Festival "grenzenlos. Berlin in Moskau" Mossovet-Theater Moscow 1996. His works have been broadcasted by radio stations in Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S.A. and Canada. Various scholarships and commissions as a composer. He studied at the Universität der Künste Berlin (music: guitar, piano, voice; counterpoint/twelvetone-technique with H.Fladt; musicological thesis on "Silence in the work of John Cage and Morton Feldman"; Experimental music and music-theatre with Dieter Schnebel; Performance art; Projects with the stage design class of Achim Freyer) and TU Berlin (German literature and linguistics). Studied "Zen-Arts" (overtone singing, vocal improvisation, calligraphy/notation etc.) with Michael Vetter. Movement studies with various teachers. Since 1987, he has been performing new vocal music and experimental music-theatre throughout Europe and in USA, Rio de Janeiro, Israel, Moscow and Tokyo. He currently works with the ensemble "Die Maulwerker" ["Muzzle Workers/ Loudmouths"]. Since 1992, he has been working as a director for music-theatre. short version Christian Kesten Christian Kesten is a composer and sound artist, vocalist and performer. His work explores the connections between voice and action, music and language, and deals with the interpenetration of sound and space. Since 1983, he has written chamber music, music theatre and site-specific compositions for various ensembles. As composer/performer, he presents his works for voice and action as a soloist, in duo with Lucio Capece, in the trio “dishk“ with Axel Dörner and Makiko Nishikaze, or in the ensemble “Maulwerker“. In 1998, he received a commission by the cultural senate of Berlin for PAROCHIAL (Parochialkirche Berlin), in 2008, a commission by the Ontological Experimental Series in New York, for THE ROOM (for 5 vocalists and 5 instruments), in 2009 a commission by the swiss ensemble CERCLES for nichts weiter (for harp, voice (soprano), snare drum, tom). The Hauptstadtkulturfonds Berlin supported his projects JA ES IST PLOETZLICH WAERMER GEWORDEN [yes, it’s suddenly got warmer], a collaboration with Steffi Weismann at Staatsbank Berlin in 2003, and ZERO TIME with Solistenensemble Kaleidoskop at Radialsystem V in 2012. In 2012 Kesten also received a commission by Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung for UNTITLED #5 (for 5 voices). In 2000, Kesten was composer-in-residence at Kuenstlerhaus Lukas, Ahrenshoop and in 2007, at Villa Aurora, Los Angeles. In 2008 he won the realization prize operare08 with antenne pernot to realize WUESTE WUESTE a multiperspective music theatre piece. His works have been performed at: The Center for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow (1996), Dampfzentrale Berne, Switzerland (2011), Dangerous Curve, Los Angeles (2007), Diapason Soundart Gallery, New York (2007 and 2008), EXPERIMENTAL INTERMEDIA, New York (2008), Museum of Modern Art MUMOK, Vienna (2005), Association RUE DU NORD, Lausanne, Switzerland (2010), TESLA, Berlin (2006), the wulf., Los Angeles (2008) and Kleiner Wasserspeicher, Berlin (2000), among many others... Since 1987, Kesten has worked as an interpreter of new vocal music and new music theatre with numerous premieres worldwide. He has collaborated with a diverse selection of composers and ensembles, such as Alessandro Bosetti, Juerg Frey, Chico Mello, Andrea Neumann, Josef Anton Riedl, Iris ter Schiphorst, Dieter Schnebel, Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin, Ensemble Modern and Apartment House London. Selection of works: 2012 - Untitled #13 (Zero Time) for 6 vl, 3 vla, 3 vcl, 1 cb; 70' [part of ZERO TIME (115')] 2012 - Untitled #5 for 5 voices; 16' 2012 - crossing the punch line for 4 voices, objects, trumpet, guitar; collectively composed by MAULWERKER; 60' 2011 - untitled (placing in space) for violin, soprano saxophone, accordion; 35' 2011 - Untitled #11 for baritone saxophone and bassoon; 16' 2010 - des champs sans noms [fields without names] for clarinets, pocket trumpet/banjo/electronics, accordion, percussion, record player/violin, contrabass/walkie-talkies; 75' 2010 - feld 037 grundlos for 3 voices and 4 loudspeakers; 11' 2010 - title pending for video/audio field recordings, vocal sounds, objects; 25' 2009 - nichts weiter for harp, voice (soprano), 2 percussionists: snare drum and bass drum; 12' 2009 - o.T. (noch ein feld) [untitled (another field)] for trumpet, bass clarinet, innenklavier, voice and door; 12' 2009 - WÜSTE WÜSTE [DESERT DESERT] (with antenne pernot) multiperspective music theatre; 90' 2008 - THE ROOM for 5 vocalists (speakers) and 5 portable instruments; 45' 2007 - stille post [chinese whisper] an instruction. A song is taught from one musician to the next, wandering through at least 10 musicians or bands. All version are presented in a concert. 2007 - zonder titel (schuif en ruis) for viola, trombone, voice, electric guitar, prepared soprano saxophone, no input mixing board; 8' 2007 - dodger stadium for video audio field recording, violin, voice, harmonium and glass/hands; 8' 2007 - cypress park for video audio field recording, guitar, voice and activity; 8' 2006 – 45 seconds for voice and other things; 9' 2006 – på studieförbundet for 2 male voices and 1 speaking bongoist; 3' 2005 – LIFT for 4 performer in 3 elevators at MUMOK Vienna; 5' 2005 – without title (breath, tongue, lips); 15'-32' 2004 – possibly we take leave keep remembering something which seems more essential than the present but don’t ask anymore for trio (water, paper, voice/ breath, tongue, larynx/ trumpet); 11' 2003 – yes it’s suddenly got warmer (with Steffi Weismann) for 2 female, 2 male voices, soprano saxophone, trumpet, tuba, electronics and video 1999 – releasing the tongue for tongue and breath 1999 – without title (for clarinet in a space with a long reverberation time); 11' christiankesten.de