The participants of the sound art program work professionally in a wide number of fields: they include engineers, computer programmers, a scientist and, of course, sound artists. And each of them will send us a signal from their system of coordinates. The program of the tenth Cyfest features both veterans of the festival and new names. Among them are the New York minimalist composer Phill Niblock, Berlin composer and violin player Chatschatur Kanajan, the St. Petersburg Improvisational Orchestra with their project “Gadgetophonia” and others. For two evenings at the Museum of Sound, there will be performances by sound artists who collaborate with the Russian label Kotд Records, which releases music both on physical media (vinyl, CD, cassette tapes) and in digital format, with a particular focus on the improvisational electronics and avant-garde.
Participants
Nikita Bugaev (Russia)
Sound artist, composer, author of experimental electronic music. Born in 1987 in Irkutsk, USSR. Studied at the Irkutsk State Linguistic University, Russia. For a period of time, lived in Krasnoyarsk as well as on the island of Olkhon in Lake Baikal. In 2015, released his debut album “Keila” on the Danish label Phinery. This was followed by other recordings. Lives and works in Irkutsk, Russia.
Alexey Grachev (Russia)
Sound artist, engineer, computer programmer. Born in 1983 in Kaluga, USSR. Graduated from Kaluga branch of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Russia). Completed the program “School for Young Artists” at the Pro Arte Foundation (St. Petersburg, Russia). Artist, technical director and chief engineer of CYLAND Media Art Lab. Participant of the World Event Young Artists Festival (Nottingham, Great Britain, 2012), the Cyfest Festivals (Berlin, Germany, 2013, 2014), special project “Urbi et Orbi” at the 6th Moscow Biennale (Russia, 2015). Since 2015, together with Sergey Komarov, develops the sound project “Subjectivization of Sound” whose basis is the interaction with space and spectators. Lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mia Zabelka (Austria)
Experimental violinist, vocalist, sound artist, composer. Born in 1963 in Vienna, Austria. Zabelka explores the limits of sound and music in a language entirely her own, based on the de- and reconstruction of the violin’s sonic possibilities, expanding the range of the instrument using live electronic devices and innovative performance techniques. She has collaborated with a string of exciting artists from around the world, such as Robin Rimbaud, Pauline Oliveros, Lydia Lunch, Saffronkeira, Phill Niblock, John Zorn and Audrey Chen. She has given concerts and performances at many festivals throughout Europe, America and Asia. She is 3-time winner of the Prix Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria) and the artistic director of Phonofemme Festival (Vienna, Austria). Lives and works in Austria. www.miazabelka.com
Chatschatur Kanajan (Germany)
Violinist, conductor, composer. Born in 1971 in Moscow, USSR. He received his musical training in Dresden and Berlin (Germany). He played in Kairos Quartet; currently he plays in Ensemble Mosaik. He collaborated with such groups as Ensemble Intercontemporain, MusikFabrik, Ensemble Elision. Participant of musical festivals Wien Modern (Vienna, Austria), Salzburger Festspiele (Salzburg, Austria), Biennale Musica Venezia (Venice, Italy), Prager Frühling (Prague, Czech Republic) and others. Lives and works in Berlin, Germany.
Sergey Komarov (Russia)
Sound artist, curator, engineer, computer programmer. Born in 1980 in Kaluga, USSR. Since 2008, he has worked as a programmer at CYLAND Media Art Lab; since 2012, has curated audio projects and CYLAND Audio Archive. Since 2015, together with Sergey Grachev, develops the sound project «Subjectivization of Sound» whose basis is the interaction with space and spectators. Participant of Cyfest festivals of various years and the Archstoyanie festival (Kaluga Region, Russia, 2014). Lives and works in Kaluga and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Katherine Liberovskaya (Canada)
Artist. Born in 1961 in Montreal, Canada. Involved in experimental video since the 80s. Liberovskaya has collaborated with many composers and sound artists such as Phill Niblock, Al Margolis, Hitoshi Kojo and David Watson. Since 2003 she is active in live video mixing exploring improvisation with numerous audio artists. In addition to her art practice she has concurrently been involved in the programming and organization of diverse media art events in Canada, USA and Europe. Lives and works in Montreal, Canada, and New York, USA. www.liberovskaya.net
Al Margolis (USA)
Sound artist, producer. Born in the USA. Since 1984 he has performed and recorded under the name If, Bwana. Collaborated with Pauline Oliveros, Joan Osborne, Monique Buzzarté, Adam Bohman, Ellen Christi, Ulrich Krieger, Dave Prescott and many others. Margolis is also known as an activist of the 1980s American cassette underground through his cassette label Sound of Pig, and is the co-founder of experimental music label Pogus Productions. In addition to his composition and improvisation work, he plays bass guitar in the legendary proto-punk band The Styrenes. Lives and works in New York, USA.
Dmitry Morozov aka ::vtol:: (Russia)
Sound artist. Born in 1986 in Moscow, USSR. Graduated from the department of art history at the Russian State University of Humanities (Moscow, Russia). Participant of Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (Russia), festivals Archstoyanie (Kaluga Oblast, Kaluga), Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria), SIGGRAPH (USA) and exhibitions at major venues of contemporary art in Russia and abroad. Winner of the Prix Cube award (France, 2014), Sergey Kuryokhin Award in the category “Public Art” (Russia, 2014), Innovation Prize in the category “New Generation” (Russia, 2013). Lives and works in Moscow, Russia. www.vtol.cc
Phill Niblock (USA)
Composer, media musician, artist. Born in 1933 in Anderson, Indiana, USA. Since the mid-60’s Niblock has been making music and intermedia performances which have been shown at numerous venues around the world. Since 1985, he has been the director of the Experimental Intermedia foundation in New York, USA. As an intermedia artist he uses music, film, photography, video and computers. Much of his pieces are based on collaborations with specific musicians, including Susan Stenger, Robert Poss, Jim O’Rourke, Ulrich Krieger, Tom Buckner, and many others. Recipient of the John Cage Award (USA, 2014). Lives and works in New York, USA. www.phillniblock.com
Nazar Rakhmanov (Russia)
Dancer, actor, artist. Born in 1991 in Russia. Graduated from the Center of Religions Studies at the Russian State University of Humanities (Moscow, Russia). He chose dance as his core activity. Participated in plastic performances at the Krug Studio that works with people with disabilities (Moscow, Russia) and then became an actor at the Poema Theatre (butoh, physical theater, Moscow, Russia). Together with Anastasia Tolchneva, Eduard Rakhmanov and Julia Borovaya, he organized the save.co.lab — a project of the SAVE laboratory for integration of science and performance art. In 2016, he became an actor at the Blackskywhite Theater (physical and visual theater, Moscow, Russia); he works on his own projects “spring_inception” and “Galvanization”. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Eduard Rakhmanov (Russia)
Chemist, artist, designer. Born in 1981 in Russia. Graduated from the chemistry department of the Moscow State University (Russia). Together with Julia Borovaya, he founded the SAVE laboratory; together with Julia Borovaya, Nazar Rakhmanov and Anastasia Tolchneva, he organized the project save.co.lab that integrates science and performance art. Participated in the projects for the exhibition at the Polytechnic Museum “Russia does it herself” (Moscow, Russia). Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
St. Petersburg Improvisers Orchestra (Russia)
Anastasia Tolchneva (Russia)
Musician, artist. Born in 1992 in Russia. Participant of international projects in the field of contemporary dance. She created the musical projects Lovozero and Tikhie Kamni. Collaborates with media artists Julia Borovaya, Nazar Rakhmanov and Eduard Rakhmanov as part of the project save.co.lab that combines science art and performance. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Dmitry Shubin (Russia)
Improvising musician, conductor, artist. Born in 1963 in Leningrad, USSR. Graduated from the philology department of the Leningrad State University (USSR) and the paintings and graphics department of the Moscow Extramural University of Arts (Russia). Since 1989, a participant of numerous exhibition and concert projects in Russia, Austria, Albania, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, USA, Finland. Founder and conductor of the St. Petersburg Improvisers Orchestra. Ideologist and organizer of the such projects as School of Improvisational Music, Improvisers Choir, “Graphics of Sound”. Curator at the St. Petersburg Museum of Sound. Lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia. sound.dmitryshubin.ru
Bred Blondie (Russia)
Sound artist, musician. Born in Moscow, Russia. Author of the music project Bred Blondie. One of the founders of the Russian label Kotä Records that produces experimental music. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia. bredblondie.bandcamp.com
Brinstaar (Russia)
Sound artist, musician, designer. Born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Investigates spontaneous and improvisational acts of creation. In addition to his solo project Brinstaar, Mikhail is involved in a series of other music projects, and he is also a founder and co-owner of the Russian label Kotä Records that produces experimental music. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia. www.brinstaar.com
Meow Moon (Russia)
Ilya Sadovsky
Sound artist, musician. Born in 1979 in Kaluga, USSR. Graduated from the Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Russia). By education, he is a software engineer and designer of computer systems and networks. Passionate since childhood about computers and music, he currently develops various experimental musical projects from his home studio in Kaluga: Meow Moon, Kurvenschreiber, PIAM and others. Since 2010, he has been collaborating with the CYLAND team of engineers. Lives and works in Kaluga, Russia.
Chris Mgassa
Artist, musician. Born in 1991 in Russia. Graduated from the School of Culture and Arts as a director of theatrical performances. For a long time Chris was engaged in the study of different areas of art. He also traveled a lot. In recent years (2013–2015) he participated in various events of contemporary art in Tel Aviv (Israel). Currently he is working on his latest conceptual series of works «Biosingularity». Lives and works in Kaluga, Russia.
S A D (Russia)
Vasily Stepanov
Sound artist, musician, DJ. Born in Moscow, Russia. Has been working with sound since 1996. During his creative activities, made his mark with releases at the national and international independent labels (CYLAND Audio Archive, Trutypesounds, NN Records, Udacha and others). Member of the duet S A D and participant of numerous collaborations, including those with Yoshio Machida and Nikolay Rubanov. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Vladislav Dobrovolsky
Sound artist, musician, curator. Born in Omsk, Russia. Works in experimental sound fields at the junction of improvisational, electronic and electroacoustic music. Uses synthesizers, modular synthesizers, DIY devices, field recordings and tape loops. Collaborates with such artists and musicians as Yoshio Machida, Nick Edwards, Peter Vogel and others. Former curator of the label CYLAND Audio Archive that produces audio art on the media manufactured with the lathe-cut technology. Curator of audio projects of the Cyfest Festival. Member of the synthesizer quartet Kurvenschreiber and the duet of tape mystifications S A D. Under the name Fitz Ellarald, was published by the Japanese label Amorfon and the American Squiggle Dot. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Solo Operator (Russia)
Sound artist, musician, programmer. Born in Zelenograd, Russia. While studying cryptography and cybersecurity at the Engineering and Physics Institute (Moscow, Russia), got enthusiastic about free jazz, saxophone, world experimental stage and the DIY sound recording. Since 2009, Alexander has participated in the activities of music groups Wrist and Magic Single-Cell Music and has been actively involved in the project Ensemble of Children’s Musical Instruments, which helps him ultimately to combine the vision of a programmer and a musician, and it engenders a series of artworks in the field of media art and science art. Develops his solo music project Solo Operator. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia.
Wolffflow (Russia)
Sound artist. Born in Togliatti, Russia. Works with improvisational electroacoustic music, experiments with sound distortion and field recordings. Founder of the music union SCRRRATCH (free jazz, noise, funk, hardcore) and the solo project Wolffflow. Lives and works in Moscow, Russia. wolffflow.bandcamp.com
Alexey Grachev (Russia)
Sound artist, engineer, computer programmer. Born in 1983 in Kaluga, USSR. Graduated from Kaluga branch of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Russia). Completed the program “School for Young Artists” at the Pro Arte Foundation (St. Petersburg, Russia). Artist, technical director and chief engineer of CYLAND Media Art Lab. Participant of the World Event Young Artists Festival (Nottingham, Great Britain, 2012), the Cyfest Festivals (Berlin, Germany, 2013, 2014), special project “Urbi et Orbi” at the 6th Moscow Biennale (Russia, 2015). Since 2015, together with Sergey Komarov, develops the sound project “Subjectivization of Sound” whose basis is the interaction with space and spectators. Lives and works in St. Petersburg, Russia.
January 25, 19:00
St. Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, Main Hall
Performances: “Untitled” by Nao Nishihara; “50 hz” by Nazar Rakhmanov, Eduard Rakhmanov, Anastasia Tolcheneva.
Concert “Gadgetophonia”; conductor: Dmitry Shubin (Read more)
January 28, 19:00
St. Petersburg Museum of Sound
Audio performances by Kotä Records: S A D + Bred Blondie, Brinstaar (Read more)
January 29, 19:00
St. Petersburg Museum of Sound
Audio performances by Kotä Records: Wolffflow, Solo Operator (Read more)
February 2, 19:00
St. Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, Main Hall
Performances: “In/Out” by Dmitry Shubin; “OKNO” by Khachatur Kanayan (Read more)
February 3, 20:00
“Golitsyn Loft”
Performance “Winter Convergence” by Phill Niblock, Katherine Liberovskaya, Al Margolis, Mia Zabelka (Read more)
February 4, 19:00
Taiga Creative Space
Audio performances: Meow Moon, Nikita Bugayev (Read more)
February 7, 17:00
St. Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, Henry Hall
Performances: “Untitled” by Dmitry Morozov aka ::vtol::; “Subjectivization of Sound” by Sergy Komarov, Aleksey Grachev (Read more)
