SCELSI, BYZANTIUM AND THE ALCHEMISTS

From the Byzantine Alleluia that begins this ritual to the Scelsi “Alleluia” that brings it to a close, a circular program weaves a path through the world of Christian theology, Jewish tradition and alchemy, brought together by the universalist music of Giacinto Scelsi. Michael Maier was an alchemist composer whose three voice fugues speak of bizarre cures and spiritual unions. Veronika Krausas set a text by Quintan Ana Wikswo evoking the first female alchemist, Maria the Jewess. The Japanese rin, unifying instrument in this program, is heard throughout. “Bogurodzica” is a sort of Ave Maria universally recognized and sung in Poland. “Ave Praeclara” is a text by the alchemist Albert the Great, written after a dream in which the Virgin Mary blamed him for not honoring her. It is dedicated to Giacinto Scelsi and forms a bridge to his works. The music of Giacinto Scelsi is represented in remarkable diversity. Wo Ma is a vocal fireworks display. “The Songs of Capricorn” are a radical piece uniting the vocalism of Japan and Western contemporary music. “Le Grand Sanctuaire” is a short cycle of two Christian works that are beautiful in their simplicity. The Three Latin Prayers could seem like Gregorian Chant, but listening closely reveals the presence of the “diabolus in musica,” the tritone and other musical deviations. The three voices sing in unison, like in “Bogurodzica” and our ritual ends in unity and synchronism.

VOXNOVA

Voxnova Italia is a new vocal group for the music of today from one to eight voices and its sources. Its singers have sung as soloists in major festivals and theaters around the world. They join forces for the pleasure of making chamber music together. Created by the bass Nicholas Isherwood, the ensemble made its debut with “Stimmung” by Karlheinz Stockhuasen at Jacaranda in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times wrote: “the voices here might have been angels.” They have also sung Stimmung in Bologna, Florence (Tempo Reale), Padova, Rome (Roma Europa Festival) and June In Buffalo. Voxnova Italia sang “In the Midst of Things” by Allora and Calzadilla (music by Gene Coleman) 156 times at the Venice Biennale 2015 and “Blackout” by Allora and Calzadilla (music by David Lang) at Maxxi in Rome 40 times. They sang a program of renaissance and contemporary madrigals in Stockholm and for Traiettorie Parma. With composer Daniele Del Monaco, they participated in a “Ted Talk” in Caserta. Last season, the ensemble performed Elliott Sharp’s “Filiseti Mekidesi” at the Ruhr Triennale with Musik Fabrik. They sang music by Anne Korsun and Giacinto Scelsi in a concert organized by the German Academy at Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome in March, 2019.

ALESSANDRO TAMIOZZO

Singer from Milan, born in 1983, he studied Musicology in Cremona, Italy (graduated in 2008). He made his debut in 2004 singing Pilatus in Bach’s “Johannes-Passion in Florence”. He has studied with Carla Vannini, Gloria Banditelli, Jill Feldman, and Daniela Uccello in Milan Conservatory. He has been singing in Voxnova Italia since 2015, performing at the Venice Biennale Arte, in Karlheinz Stockhausen’s “Stimmung” in Rome, Buffalo NY, Florence, Padua and Ulm. He performed also with Voxnova Italia in Allora&Calzadilla’s “Blackout”.

OLIVIERO GIORGIUTTI

He began his carrier as an oboist then he decided to begin singing studies. In 2001 he won two important International Competitions: “As.Li.Co” and “Toti dal Monte”. In 2002, he won the Belli International Competition in Spoleto. He has performed in several Opera Houses both in Italy and abroad, such as Teatro Ponchielli (Cremona), Teatro G. Donizetti (Bergamo), Teatro Nuovo Menotti (Spoleto), Opéra de Nice, Bunka Kaikan (Tokyo), Teatro Regio (Turin). He dedicated most of his carrier to sacred repertoire and to Vocal Chamber music, performing alsoworld premieres. Since 2015 he is a member of Voxnova Italia.

NICHOLAS ISHERWOOD

Nicholas Isherwood made his operatic debut at Covent Garden at the age of 25 as Lucifer in Stockhausen’s “Donnerstag aus Licht”. He has sung medieval music with Joel Cohen, baroque music with William Christie, romantic music with Zubin Mehta, worked with numerous composers and improvised with Steve Lacy. He has taught master classes and lectured in venues such as the Salzburg Mozarteum, Harvard, the CNSM in Paris, the UdK in Berlin and the Milan Conservatory and is professor of singing in Montbéliard. He has published several articles and a book “The Techniques of Singing for Bärenreiter Verlag”. He has recorded over 65 CDs for labels such as Harmonia Mundi, Erato, Naxos and Stockhausen Verlag. He is the bass and artistic director of Voxnova Italia.

*Co-financed by the Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport from funds of the Culture Promotion Fund as part of the “Music” program, obtained from subsidies established in games subject to state monopoly, in accordance with Art. 80 sec. 1 of the Gambling Act of November 19, 2009, implemented by the Institute of Music and Dance.

*The Society of Authors ZAiKS is a Partner of CODES Festival.