Michele Di Dio © 2022

Composition

Starting with a timpani-piano dialogue the piece finds a non-traditional concerto sound between
electro-acoustic clusters, chamber music, improvisations and grand orchestral accents.
Written2018
Duration35’
Detailsaugmented piano, symphony orchestra
PremiereMusikschule Lüneburg
MusiciansThomas Klug (conductor), ensemble reflektor, Kaan Bulak (augmented piano)
Notable
performances
Konzerthaus Berlin, Halle 424 Hamburg, ZKM Karlsruhe
RecordingZKM Karlsruhe, 2018 | Watch

“Seven Last Words” in seven movements, inspired by early Middle-Eastern Christian hymns and Haydn’s version. Commissioned by Bayerischer Rundfunk.
Written2020
Duration35’
Detailsviolin, violin, viola, cello, electronics
PremiereThe premiere with BRSO Quartet was cancelled because of the lockdown in Spring 2020.

In five movements exterior chaotic influences cause hallucinations and challenge the inner being. Disturbing voices become friends and find a fulfilled harmony.
Written2019
Duration23’
Detailsviolin, violin, viola, cello
Premiere19.06.2019, Mozartfest Würzburg
MusiciansAlex Jussow (violin), Aoife Ní Bhriain (violin), Friedemann Slenczka (viola), Stefan Hadjiev (cello)
Notable
performances
Philharmonie Berlin, Beethovenfest Bonn

Four electronic edits derived from strings phrases.
Written2019
Duration8′
Details:violin, viola, cello, doublebass, electronics
Premiere:02.03.2019, ZKM Karlsruhe
Musicians:Moritz Ter-Nedden (violin), Friedemann Slenczka (viola),
RecordingZKM Karlsruhe, 2019 | Watch

In three movements, exploring the dream state of chamber music. The piano is augmented with the radial loudspeaker Lynch, designed and custom built specifically for this work.
Written:2020
Duration:14′
Details:augmented piano, violin, viola, cello, doublebass
Premiere:18.08.2018, Kloster Bebenhausen
Musicians:Moritz Ter-Nedden (violin), Nora Schwarzberg (viola),
Simone Drescher (cello), Kristina Edin (doublebass)
Kaan Bulak (augmented piano)
Notable performances:Philharmonie Berlin, Schloss Elmau, Beethovenfest Bonn
Recording:Feral Note, ZKM Karlsruhe, 2020 | Listen

A ritual with sounds derived from the piano and live electronics, composition in blocks that encourage an improvised performance.
Written:2018
Duration:45′
Details:piano, electronics
Premiere:27.07.2018, Verbier Festival
Musicians:Julian Quentin (piano), Kaan Bulak (electronics, piano)

Commissioned by Podium Festival
Written:2017
Duration:11′
Details:organ, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, electronics
Premiere:27.04.2018, Podium Festival, Esslingen
Musicians:Peter Schleicher (organ), Kaan Bulak (electronics), Podium Festival ensemble

Three movements (Allegro – Scherzo – Adagio) between Turkish classical music and grotesque composers like Shostakovich. Commissioned by ‘Ton & Erklärung’ cello competition.
Written:2017
Duration:16′
Details:cello, cello, electronics
Premiere:07.10.2017, Prinzregententheater, Munich
Musicians:Friedrich Thiele (cello), Laura Moinian (cello), Kaan Bulak (electronics)
Notable performances:Orania Berlin (Anastasia Kobekina, Johannes Przygodda),
Marburger Schloss (Santiago Cañón Valencia, Erica Piccotti)
UBS Opernturm Frankfurt (Friedrich Thiele, Laura Moinian)

Rewritten version of Orgelwerk I for string quartet and electronics. Also available for low string quartet. Commissioned by Classical Beat Festival.
Written:2017
Duration:15′
Details:violin, violin, viola, cello, electronics
Premiere:30.05.2017, Campus Center, Lübeck
Musicians:DeLia Quartet
Notable performances:Silent Green Berlin, Beethovenfest Bonn, Schloss Elmau, Podium Festival
Recording:Feral Note, 2018 | Listen

Commissioned by Podium Festival
Written:2017
Duration:11′
Details:organ, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, electronics
Premiere:27.04.2018, Podium Festival, Esslingen
Musicians:Peter Schleicher (organ), Kaan Bulak (electronics), Podium Festival ensemble

Three movements showing expressive and introvert sides of the violin, accompanied by a piano that turns into percussion in the second movement. Commissioned by Johan Dalene & Julien Quentin.
Written:2021
Duration:10′
Details:violin, piano
Premiere:18.07.2021, Verbier Festival, Verbier
Musicians:Johan Dalene (violin), Julien Quentin (piano)
Notable performances:Frederiksværk Music Festival (Johan Dalene)

Sonata in a single expressive movement.
Written:2019
Duration:10′
Details:cello
Premiere:19.06.2019, Mozartfest, Würzburg
Musicians:Stefan Hadjiev (cello)
Notable performances:Philharmonie Berlin (Stefan Hadjiev),
Serefiye Cistern Istanbul (Anastasia Kobekina)

Electronically glitched solo performance for trumpet. Also available for bass clarinet.
Written:2019
Duration:8′
Details:trumpet, electronics
Premiere:13.04.2019, BBC Radio 3, LSO St. Luke’s, London
Musicians:Simon Höfele (trumpet, electronics)
Recording:Feral Note, 2018 | Watch

In six short pieces the piano evolves from an async heartbeat into a cluster of nightmares that dissolve in a tender movement, leading back to the percussive rhythm.
Written:2018
Duration:10′
Details:piano (prepared)
Premiere:02.03.2019, ZKM Karlsruhe
Musicians:Kaan Bulak (piano)

Instruments created from samples of 16 Impromptus revisit the improvised moment, from a completely different angle.
Written:2018
Duration:11′
Details:piano samples
Premiere:29.09.2018, Radialsystem Berlin
Musicians:Kaan Bulak (electronics)
Recording:Listen | Watch

From 16 improvised pieces that were recorded in a single take. Diffused clusters, atonal polyphony, resulting in melodic harmonies with an oriental touch. Recorded at ZKM Karlsruhe.
Written:2018
Duration:31′
Details:piano
Premiere:29.09.2018, Radialsystem Berlin
Musicians:Kaan Bulak (piano)
Recording:Feral Note, ZKM Karlsruhe, 2018 | Listen

A philosophical installation work on the act of composing and performing with readymade instruments. Commissioned by Goethe Institute for the Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale
Written:2021
Duration:10′
Details:participative installation
Premiere:17.06.2021, 14th Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale

Site-specific acousmatic composition for the 360° loudspeaker setup in the courtyard of Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg. Seven movements of time transcending sounds, harmonies and rhythms. Commissioned by Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele.
Written:2021
Duration:40′
Details:violin, baroque harp, piano, electronics, field recordings
Premiere:12.06.2021, Klangkreis der Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, Ludwigsburg

A sonic hommage to the book market that keeps the artist healthy. Focused augmented piano sounds. Commissioned by Eufonia Berlin.
Written:2020
Duration:3′
Details:field composition
Premiere:05.10.2020, Am Kupfergraben, Berlin

Interactive composition for the binaural installation ‘Sacrophonie’ by Anton Kossjanenko. Commissioned by ZKM Karlsruhe.
Written:2018
Duration:8′
Details:binaural composition, interactive samples
Premiere:01.09.2018, ZKM Karlsruhe

Spatial electronic composition utilising field recordings and polyrhythmic synth patterns. Commissioned by Montforter Zwischentöne
Written:2017
Duration:10′
Details:quadrophonic electronics
Premiere:25.02.2018, Montforter Zwischentöne, Feldkirch

Ottoman court music inspired five movements, composition with sounds from an upright piano symbolizing a 17th century ensemble. Graduation composition for Sound Studies at University of Arts Berlin.
Written:2016
Duration:24′
Details:piano samples on quadrophonic loudspeakers
Premiere:05.02.2017, Kesselhaus, Berlin

Music for the short film of conceptual artist Ahmet Öğüt.
Release:05.11.2019, Amsterdam Art Weekend IDFA, Amsterdam

Composition and production of original soundtrack.
Production:Perfect Shot Films, Misereor
Release:31.10.2014

Composition and production of original soundtrack. Feature-length documentary film directed by Katharina von Schroeder and Florian Schewe.
Production:Perfect Shot Films, ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel
Premiere:25.06.2014, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain, Berlin
Release:14.07.2014, ZDF
Awards:Grimme Preis 2015, Brooklyn Film Festival 2015 (Best Documentary), Festival International du Film de Droits de l’Homme 2016 (Grand Prize of the Jury), International Human Rights Film Festival Guadeloupe 2016 (Grand Prix), AGON Film Festival 2016 (Award for Historical Film)

Composition and production of original soundtrack.
Short documentary film by Katharina von Schroeder.
Production:Al Jazeera Artscape
Release:08.05.2013, Al Jazeera

Composition and production of original soundtrack.
Short documentary film by Katharina von Schroeder.
Production:Al Jazeera Artscape
Release:30.04.2013, Al Jazeera

Guest piano performance on ’22:00′
Release:21.09.2019, Hôtel Costes
Recording:Vinyl

Electro-acoustic improvisation album in collaboration with Robert Lippok (electronics). Recorded live at ZKM Karlsruhe.
Release:22.02.2019, Feral Note, ZKM Karlsruhe
Recording:Listen  | Vinyl

Experimental house record with guest musicians Julien Quentin (piano), Adrien Boisseau (viola).
Release:27.08.2018, Contexterrior Records
Recording:Listen

Self-produced songwriting record. Including the poems Aşık by Omar Khayyam and Sevgilerde by Behçet Necatigil.
Release:17.03.2017, Universal Music

Self-produced songwriting record. The single Moving Leaves is made of only vocal recordings and manipulations. Guest musician Contrapunct (violin).
Release:10.02.2017, Kabak & Lin Records
Recording:Listen

Experimental house record in collaboration with Jay Haze. The title track was made using only a single Vuillaume from 1840. Guest musician Contrapunct (violin).
Release:05.07.2016, Contexterrior Records
Recording:Listen | Vinyl

Sound & Production

Mixing and mastering at Feral Note Salon, focus on electro-acoustic productions.
References:Robert Lippok, Magna Pia, Sarah Aristidou, Karpov Not Kasparov, Mehmet Aslan, Luise Enzian & Moritz Eggert, Hagar Sharvit & Daniel Gerzenberg, Rothko String Quartet, OMG Schubert

Studio and broadcast recording work, preparation of speaker tracks for multi-channel concerts.
References:European Music Council, Académie Francis Poulenc, Podium Esslingen & Philharmonie Köln, BBC Radio 3, ZDF

360° loudspeaker for electro-acoustic chamber music
Designed in collaboration with Martion Audiosysteme. Funded by #bebeethoven, Kulturstiftung des Bundes.
Date:2018 – 2020
Info:Martion

Instrument research project at ZKM Karlsruhe. Extending the acoustic grand piano for new phrasing possibilities. Funded by #bebeethoven, Kulturstiftung des Bundes.
Date:2018 – 2020

Extendable modular synthesizer case with a single power supply in the mother case. Pristine audio quality through low noise ACL power supply. Implemented and built by NumNum Cases.
Date:2020
Info:ACL | NumNum Cases

Guest lectures for sound art, electro-acoustic production, mixing and mastering in the class of Robert Lippok.
Date:2018 – 2022
Info:NYU Berlin Clive Davis Institute

Workshop on the interplay of audio and visual elements with Ali M. Demirel. Focus on the live audiovisual performance ‘Impromptu / Rockforms’.
Date:2019
Info:Sónar Istanbul

Lecture on perception of art and duration within the series ‘Music & Medicine’.
Date:2019

Selection of a Steinway B grand piano and consulting for audio live setup including loudspeakers, monitors, microphones, stage setup. Supervision of Kirsch Audio PA System order and delivery.
Date:2017