Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor discussed his groundbreaking design for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011, followed by a collaborative performance between Basel-based musician and composer Fritz Hauser and drummer Peter Conradin Zumthor.
The Call of the Drum
Originally conceived for their first duo-performance in the context of Peter Conradin Zumthor’s solo-programme Die Nagelschmiede (Theater Chur, June 4/5, 2011, directed by Fritz Hauser), the two percussionists adapted Hauser’s composition to the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011 designed by Peter Zumthor. Based on a ritualistic bass-drum pattern the form dissolves into a free exchange of sounds and noises, using space and distance to create new sound perspectives.
Born in Basel in 1953, Hauser develops solo programmes for drums and percussion, which he performs worldwide. Cross-media works with architect Boa Baumann, lighting designer Brigitte Dubach, director Barbara Frey, as well as with choreographers Joachim Schloemer, Heddy Maalem and Anna Huber. Compositions for Percussion ensembles and -soloists, sound installations (a.o. Therme Vals, Architekturmuseum Basel, Castel Burio, Italy), radio plays, soundtracks to film and readings. Fritz Hauser has premiered the works of various composers, among which various pieces for solo drum-set (a.o. John Cage, Pauline Oliveros, Rob Kloet, Bun Ching Lam, Joey Baron, Pierre Favre, Robert Suter, Warren Smith, Franz Koglmann). He collaborates with improvising musicians around the world. In August 2011 Fritz Hauser creates and directs the season-opening musical project schraffur for gong and theatre at Theater Basel. The performance includes 240 employees of the theatre from the director to the box office. Co-direction Boa Baumann. In cooperation with long-standing artistic companions architect Boa Baumann and lighting designer Brigitte Dubach, Fritz Hauser designed the KLANGHAUS ZUG exhibition. It featured new sound-installations in a solo-exhibition: Kunsthaus Zug, Switzerland 2.12.2011–4.3.2012. www.fritzhauser.ch
Born in 1979, for years Peter Conradin Zumthor has been present on international stages with innovative and specialised music. Concert tours brought him to a dozen countries from Mozambique to the Ukraine. He is the initiator of several national and international projects and bands. His field of activities ranges from first performances of new music, composing of architectural, site-specific music, to literature-specific music, to pure improvisations. He has collaborated closely with composers Felix Profos and David Dramm, musicians Lucas Niggli, Dominik Blum, Vera Kappeler, Achim Escher & Marek Otwinowski, Barry Guy, Fritz Hauser, Kesivan Naidoo, Rolando Lamussene, as well as with Ukrainian writer Yuri Andruchowych.
His first solo program Die Nagelschmiede (directed by Fritz Hauser) premiered in June 2011.
