- Source: Michael Heisch
Michael Heisch (born 20 May 1963) is a Swiss composer, double bass player, cultural critic and illustrator.
Life
Heisch was born in 1963 in Schaffhausen as son of the writer and satirist Peter Heisch. From the age of seven he received piano lessons from Henri Chappat. He first completed an apprenticeship as an advertising assistant. From 1980, Heisch took private double bass lessons with Bruno Brandenberger. From 1981 to 1984 he then studied with Yoan Goilav at the Winterthur Conservatory, from 1989 to 1991 with Hämi Hämmerli at the St. Gallen Jazz School and from 1991 with Andreas Cincera at the Zurich University of the Arts. From 1990 to 1991 he simultaneously completed a preliminary course at the School for Design in Romanshorn.
From 1990 to 1994 Heisch studied theory with Martin Neukom and Christian Bänninger at the School of Music Theory in Zurich as well as composition with Hans Ulrich Lehmann and choral conducting and conducting with Christian Siegmann and Johannes Schöllhorn. From 1994 to 1995 he studied synthetic sound analysis with Gerald Bennett at the Zurich Conservatory. From 1998 to 2002 he then studied composition with Johannes Schöllhorn and Mathias Steinauer at the Zurich-Winterthur University of Music and Drama.
Heisch lives as a composer and cultural journalist in Zurich. As a double bass player he has already worked with the musicians Luigi Archetti, Sebastian Hofmann, Mart Lorenz and M. Vänçi Stirnemann. He is a member of the composers' collective of the Swiss Centre for Computer Music (SZCM), Member of the Board of the International Society for Contemporary Music, Zurich section and the Forum for Contemporary Music ADESSO.
Work
Eisenfresser (1996). Electroacoustic music for tape
Theuth I and Theuth II (1996). Electroacoustic music for tape
Flaneur (1996). Electroacoustic music for tape
5 Serifen für Streichtrio (1997) for violin, viola and cello
5 logogrammes (1997) for flute solo
orchestral arrangements (1997) after 4 piano pieces by Franz Liszt
Edison (1998). Electroacoustic music for tape
Moiré - Studies for 4 organettes (1999) for 4 organettes
Agnus Dei (1999). Electroacoustic music for tape and organ
Zirufim (1999). Electroacoustic music for tape and electric guitar
Schule des Schweigens (1999/2000). A kind of mini music theatre for tape, actor and obligatory cassette recorder
Brouillage / Bruitage (1999, rev. 2002) for double bass
...stumpffeine Linie von Geviertlänge... I to V (2000). Electroacoustic music for tape, work-in-progress
wechselspielwechsel I. Fall (2000) for organ and percussion
Brouillage / Bruitage (2000, rev. 2003) for piano
Night Bites (2000) for string quartet and speaker
Vogel fliegt, Fisch schwimmt, Mensch läuft (2001). Chamber/hearing/play/piece for actors and musicians and tape recordings
Chinese Cookies (2001) for saxophone quartet and speaker
wechselspielwechsel II. Fälle (2001) for accordion and percussion
6 serifs (2001) for soprano and piano
Kitchen Accidents (2002) for percussion quartet and speaker
Everblacks - five fake Weanalieda (2002) for voice, bassoon, piano, viola and double bass
Brouillage / Bruitage (2002) for actor
Best before: see lid (2002) for 2 pianoforte, celesta and harpsichord
Night Bites - every Night (2003) for string orchestra and speaker
zu rich (2003) for voice, violoncello, piano and turntables
carpe noctem (2004) for bass flute, electric guitar and percussion
kykloi (2004). Solo/voice/percussion
Im Bauch des Türken (2004). Piano solo
Rondo (2005). Short opera for variable instrumentation
anadiplosis / parekbasis (2005) for flute, violoncello and piano
Disintegration (2005) for clarinet, accordion and double bass
Disintegration (transcription, 2008) for saxophone, accordion and violoncello
Arc (2008) for saxophone, violoncello and piano
Schattenboxen (2008/09) for singer, ensemble, boxers and actors
How would Lubitsch have done it? (2010) for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano and percussion
Bouillage/Bruitage - Penelope (2010) for percussion
Bouillage/Bruitage - Circe (2010) for (alto) flute
Moiré (2011) for saxophone, piano and percussion
Discography
2008: Jack In The Box (DVD)
2008: Niederländische Sprichwörter
2010: Frozen Solid
2010: Schattenboxen (DVD)
Further reading
Stefan Drees: Michael Heisch. In Komponisten der Gegenwart (KDG). Edition Text & Kritik, Munich 1996, ISBN 978-3-86916-164-8.
References
External links
Website von Michael Heisch
Literature by and about Michael Heisch in the German National Library catalogue
Michael Heisch discography at Discogs