Simon Berz
MTR Transdisciplinary Studies in the Arts
ZHdK Zürich Switzerland
born on 26 January 1967, Baden (CH)
Drummer and electronic artist Simon Berz has toured through Japan, China, Russia, the US, Cuba, Iceland, Turkey and Europe, both as a solo artist and together with other musicians and groups. He works together with Toshinori Kondo, Kidd Jordan, Skúli Sverrisson, Kirk Joseph, Rob Mazurek, Mars Williams, James Singelton, Jeff Albert, Dan Oestreicher, Aurora Nealand, Paul Lowens, Rob Cambre, Helen Gillet, James Singelton, Xu Fengxia, Willem Schulz, Niki Glaspie, Franz Hautzinger, Isabelle Duthoit, Dave Rempis, Jojo Mayer and many other artists. He makes regular guest appearances with the Zürich group Superterz. In 2017 Superterz performed every night for a whole month with Baby Sommer, Toshinori Kondo, Al Comet (The Young Gods), Burnt Friedman, Niels Petter Molvear, and Mauro Pawlowski (DEUS).
Simon Berz composes soundscapes and music for the theatre and films. Under his direction the IOIC Improvisationsorchester took part in the debut performances of the live scoring of three silent films at the Filmpodium Zürich and at the spin-off Filmfestival Locarno. Further performances followed in Beijing, Shanghai, and at ART Basel Hong Kong.
His work in experimental and improvised music, in sound art and new forms of performance aims at innovation, interaction and participation. Simon Berz is a drummer and sound artist. He uses improvised music to create bridges between his compositions and performances to visual arts, dance and film. His work takes place in artist-run spaces as well as in clubs, galleries and concert halls. Since his youth he has been involved in developing instruments, sound/art installations and performances based on listening and observing, sound and materials research, on the implementation of experimental formats and their aesthetic mediation. As well as developing his own rhythmic and sound language through an electro-acoustic drumset called the Rocking Desk, he has also developed a “lithophone” consisting of stones producing a sound made by liquid dripping from drip bags that he amplifies and distorts electronically. In 2011, this sound installation was awarded the “Werkjahr des Kantons Zug” prize.
Simon Berz works together with instrument builders, technicians and scientists to design sound installations focussing on phenomena like resonance and feedback. How do you interact with ice, water, stone, wind and fire? What happens in the space between people? What is resonance in technical as well as in psychological and energy terms? The sound artist explores ways of making it possible to experience human energy fields or to allow the resonance produced by a self-playing stone to sound.
What drives Simon, and what he seeks to transform and convey aesthetically, is a “mingling” of acoustic curiosity and its technical implementation in combination with the surrounding context – in nature, in society. The sound material is crucial as is the space in which art and sound take place – whether a former Jewish fabric store in Langstrasse, Zürich, a volcanic landscape in Iceland, or Peiden, a tiny hamlet in the Grisons. Simon considers improvised music to be an unstable condition in which you can find yourself. It represents uncertainty, tension.
Once you accept that nothing is stable, you can react by means of creativity.
Text: Claudia Rettore 2018
Education
2015 MAS FINE ARTS in Transdisciplinarity, Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Zurich
2007 KlangKunstBühne, Penelope Wehrli, University of the Arts, Berlin
2006 Hardware hacking & circuit bending, Nic Collins SGMK, Zurich
2003 KlangKunstBühne, University of the Arts, Berlin
2002 study visit, Steve Coleman, New York
1999 study visit, Jojo Mayer, New York
1998 Drummers Collective, Drum study with certification, New York
1981-1998 lessons with Chris von Hoffman, Baden; Fredi Lüscher, train; Jazz School Lucerne
1996-1997 Special Needs Education, basic studies of curative education with diploma, Zurich
1986-1991 teacher training seminary St. Michael, primary education with diploma, Zug
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festivals & concerts
Klangwelt Toggenburg Switzerland 2021
TECTONIC Lithophon Solo Kunsthaus Zofingen 2020
Kunsthaus Zürich Olafur Eliasson Vernissage TECTONIC Simon Berz Solo 2020
Semarang State University, Semarang Jawa, Indonesia 2019
Guangdong Dance Festival Guangzhou, China 2019
Blau Blau Records Takeover, Moods, Zürich 2019
VIELJAZZ Festival Zug, Switzerland 2019
Yushin Brothers, Krasnojarsk, Siberia Russia
OOAM Festival Baden, Switzerland 2019
Willem Twee studio's Den Bosch, Holland 2018
FIVER international Dancefilmfestival Naves Matadero Madrid, Spanien USA 2018
Sägezahn Serie Schauspielhaus Wien, Östereich 2018
NOIZEFest New Orleans, USA 2017/2018
SuitcaseOrchestra, Zug, Schweiz 2017
The Music Box, New Orleans, 2017
Insomniasessions, Photobastei Zürich, Schweiz 2017
DNK Contemporary Theatre Festival, Krasnojarsk, Russland 2016
Opening Pro Helvetia Office Russia, Meyerhold Center Moskau, Russland 2016
Powerstation of Art Shanghai, China 2016
multiRAID Festival Istanbul, Türkei 2016
Stummfilmmarathon, Zürich, Schweiz 2016
Festival antigel, Genf, Schweiz 2016
Theater brut Wien, Österreich 2015
Festival Belluard Bollwerk International, Freiburg, Schweiz 2015
Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik Zürich, Schweiz 2015
yeah yeah yeah Festival Zürich, Schweiz 2014
SKIF, St. Petersburg, Russland 2014
AiR; Artist in Residence Moods, Zürich, Schweiz 2014
Frameworks, München, Deutschland 2014
KILBI Bad, Bonn Düdingen, Schweiz 2014
VIDEO SOUNDART, Mailand, Italien 2014
TAZ Festival, Ostende, Belgien 2014
les digitales, Luzern, Schweiz 2014
yeah yeah yeah Dance Festival, Zürich, Schweiz 2014
youtopia-Festival, Ascona, Schweiz 2014
Incubate, Thilburg, Holland 2013
Worldtronics, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Deutschland 2013
Solothurner Filmtage Solothurn, Schweiz 2013
ArT Sengawa, Tokyo, Japan 2013
Filmfestival, New Orleans, USA 2012
Airlift Project, The Music Box, New Orleans, USA 2011
Patterns+Pleasure, Amsterdam, Holland 2011
WORM. Rotterdam, Holland, 2011
High mayhem Festival, Santa Fé, USA 2009
Sonic Cirquits, Washington, USA 2009
Stromereien, Zürich, Schweiz 2009
Unsound Festival FAIT gallery, Krakow Polen, 2008
Lange Nacht der Museen, Kunsthaus Zürich, Schweiz 2007
Transmediale, APPARAT Band, Berlin, Deutschland 2005
EXPO 2002, Yverdon, Schweiz 2002
NUJAZZ Festival, Schweiz 1996
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Awards
Artprice of City of Zug, Switzerland
2019 Flex Scholarship Canton Zug, Artist in Residence, Marfa Texas, USA
2014 Freiraum Scholarship Curatorium Aargau, Artist in Residence, New Orleans, USA
2014 Freiraum Scholarship Center Cultural Canton Zurich, Artist in Residence, Iceland
2012 Werkjahr with the band Superterz, city of Zurich
2012 Recognition Award: Ernst Göhner Foundation, Landis & Gyr Foundation, City and Canton of Zug
2011 Werkjahr Canton Zug: Award of the sound installation «Lithophon», Canton Zug
2010 10 years BADABUM recognition award Canton Zug, Switzerland
2008 DIY Festival: Award for the sound installation "Stein auf Stein", Zurich, Switzerland
2004 Further education contribution of the canton of Zug, University of the Arts Berlin, Germany
2003 Art Studio of the Canton of Zug, Artist in Residence, Berlin, Germany
1998 Further education contribution from the canton of Zug, Collective School of Music, Drummers Collective New York
1996 Cultural contribution from the canton of Zug, Switzerland
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collaborations
Andi Moore Angela Rabaglio, Angela Stöcklin, Apparat, Aurora Nealand | Bill Laswell, Baby Sommer, Brad Walker, Bettina Boller, Bit-Tuner, Brent Bagwell, Brian Haas, Brain Seeger, Bruno Amstad, Bryan Eubanks, Burnt Friedman | Camilla Sparksss, Carlos Zingaro, Christian Weber, Cyril Bondi | Damo Suzuki (CAN), Dan Oestreicher, Dave Rempis | Eric Bloom, Ephrem Lüchinger | Flo Stoffner, Francois Chalet, Franz Hautzinger, Fredy Lüscher | Galoppierende Zuversicht | Hans Hassler, Hans Kennel, Hans Koch, Hanspeter Pfammatter, Harald Hearter, Helen Gillet, Humberto Quijano Ramos | Isabelle Duthoit | James Singelton, James Turrell, Jeff Albert, Jeroen Visser, Jessica Huber, Jessica Lurie, Jimi Tenor, Johanna Borchert, John Singlair, Jojo Mayer, Joke Lanz, Justin Peake | Kondo Toshinori, Karin Arnold, Kaspar König, Kevin Schott, Kidd Jordan, Kirk Joseph, Klaus Janek | Lauren Newton, Lee “Scratch“ Perry, Lionel Friedli, Louis Schild, Ludger Hennig | Mauro Pawlowski (dEUS), Marcel Vaid, Mars Williams, Martin Krusche, Michael Günzburger, Michelle Ettlin, Mike Dillon | Niels Petter Molvear, Niki Glaspie, Norbert Möslang | Paul Lowens, Pfadfinderei | Raphael Ortis, Ravi Vaid, Rob Mazurek, Roger Rotor, Roland Dahinden | Shan Kenner, Simon Lott, Skúli Sverrisson | Thomas Maos, Thomas Peter, Thomas Sarbach, toktek | Urs Leimgruber, Ursula Scherrer | Will Thompson, Will-y Strehler, Willem Schulz | Xu Fengxia | Yan Jun, Yann Leguay | Zule Guerra
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Festivals
OOAM Festival Baden, Switzerland 2019
Willem Twee studio's Den Bosch, Holland 2018
FIVER international Dancefilmfestival Naves Matadero Madrid, Spanien USA 2018
Sägezahn Serie Schauspielhaus Wien, Östereich 2018
NOIZEFest New Orleans, USA 2017/2018
SuitcaseOrchestra, Zug, Schweiz 2017
The Music Box, New Orleans, 2017
Insomniasessions, Photobastei Zürich, Schweiz 2017
DNK Contemporary Theatre Festival, Krasnojarsk, Russland 2016
Opening Pro Helvetia Office Russia, Meyerhold Center Moskau, Russland 2016
Powerstation of Art Shanghai, China 2016
multiRAID Festival Istanbul, Türkei 2016
Stummfilmmarathon, Zürich, Schweiz 2016
Festival antigel, Genf, Schweiz 2016
Theater brut Wien, Österreich 2015
Festival Belluard Bollwerk International, Freiburg, Schweiz 2015
Fabriktheater Rote Fabrik Zürich, Schweiz 2015
yeah yeah yeah Festival Zürich, Schweiz 2014
SKIF, St. Petersburg, Russland 2014
AiR; Artist in Residence Moods, Zürich, Schweiz 2014
Frameworks, München, Deutschland 2014
KILBI Bad, Bonn Düdingen, Schweiz 2014
VIDEO SOUNDART, Mailand, Italien 2014
TAZ Festival, Ostende, Belgien 2014
les digitales, Luzern, Schweiz 2014
yeah yeah yeah Dance Festival, Zürich, Schweiz 2014
youtopia-Festival, Ascona, Schweiz 2014
Incubate, Thilburg, Holland 2013
Worldtronics, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Deutschland 2013
Solothurner Filmtage Solothurn, Schweiz 2013
ArT Sengawa, Tokyo, Japan 2013
Filmfestival, New Orleans, USA 2012
Airlift Project, The Music Box, New Orleans, USA 2011
Patterns+Pleasure, Amsterdam, Holland 2011
WORM. Rotterdam, Holland, 2011
High mayhem Festival, Santa Fé, USA 2009
Sonic Cirquits, Washington, USA 2009
Stromereien, Zürich, Schweiz 2009
Unsound Festival FAIT gallery, Krakow Polen, 2008
Lange Nacht der Museen, Kunsthaus Zürich, Schweiz 2007
Transmediale, APPARAT BAND Berlin, Deutschland 2005
EXPO 2002, Yverdon, Schweiz 2002
NUJAZZ Festival, Schweiz 1996
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Contract work
PHONAK Communications AG Klang Installation TROPF Murten 2021
TATORT Rebland Filmsaoundtrak Ephrem Lüchinger ORF SRF ARD Produktion D 2020
„Swiss made in Russia“ Pro Helvetia Russia, Moskau, Russland 2017
Suitcase Orchestra, Stadtperformance mit Refugees, Citykirche Zug, Schweiz 2017
Kinder Kultur Woche mit Bettina Boller Küssnacht, Schweiz 2016
Leitung und Komposition IOIC Impro Orchestra, Kino Uto und Filmpodium, Zürich, Schweiz 2014
“Schraffur“ von Fritz Hauser mit den Schepperkids, Casino Zug, Schweiz 2012
Museum für Gestaltung, Performance und Klanginstallation Max Huber, Zürich, Schweiz 2009
Shopping – Beats mit Schepperkids, Sechseläuten Zürich, Schweiz 2007
Kunsthaus Bonnefanten, Ausstellung Xiloseum, Maastricht, Holland 2006
Lange Nacht der Museen, Kunsthaus Zürich, Schweiz 2006
Schepperkids at Zirkus Knie, Schweiz 2005
SCHREIBEN - MACHT - LÄRM! 225 Jahre NZZ, Zürich, Schweiz 2005
Eröffnung Zuger Bahnhof mit Lichtchoreografie von James Turrell, Schweiz 2004
650 Jahre Zug, Zuger Symphonie mit Hans Kennel, Zug, Schweiz 2002
BADABUM at EXPO 2002, Yverdon, Schweiz 2002
Simon Berz
Co Klaas Hübner
Tempelhofer Ufer 10
10963 Berlin
Zentralstrasse 118
8003 Zürich