Aarhus 2017 sounds out the Capital of Culture

When Aarhus and the region celebrate the title of Capital of Culture in 2017 the event will have its own sound. The Capital of Culture and the three composer’s associations in Denmark are now announcing a competition open for all composers to make their bid for the notes that will signify the year 2017.

European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017 and the three composer’s associations Danish Jazz, Beat and Folk Authors (DJBFA), the Danish Composer’s Association (DKF) and Danish Popular Authors (DPA), have joined forces on a new culture project that will resonate all over the region. “The Sound of Aarhus 2017” is the title of the project that aims to give the Capital of Culture a unique sound. Composers from all genres are invited to propose their view of the Capital of Culture sound.

The selected piece will sound across the region for the official opening in 2017 and will be replayed at events all through the year and reproduced in various formats. The winning composer will help shape formats and reproductions.

Programme Director Gitte Just has great expectations for the competition, which she hopes will inspire people to take part in the Capital of Culture:

“I am happy we can now present an international call for ideas for “The Sound of Aarhus 2017”. We hope to receive ideas for a piece that can mark the Capital of Culture year across the region, all over Denmark in an unusual and memorable way. We also hope the piece can become a reminder of experiences and memories of Aarhus 2017, leaving behind a legacy beyond the year itself,” says Just.

“We have made a very competent and exciting jury who will assess the bids we receive. The jury composition is our way of signifying that we would like to see a different and unusual piece with potential to develop along with citizens. A piece that can be experienced and listened to in various formats and settings – in the city, in nature, concert halls, bunkers, in schools etc. We hope citizens challenge our views of how and where we experience the Sound of Aarhus 2017 – and that they will rethink with us,” she continues.

Tjill Dreyer, Head of Secretariat in the Composer and Song Writer’s association DJBFA, agrees with Gitte Just on the project’s perspectives and connecting it with the Rethink theme.

“We envision a piece that is a unifying event for all citizens in the region. A piece that fosters recognition, surprise and joy. For instance by using fragments of the region’s narrative and legacy. For the RETHINK theme, it is important that the piece is generated through various types of collaboration with citizens of the region – we will leave the how up the composers,” says Dreyer.

All proposals will be judged by a select jury comprised by representatives from the international music scene:
Juliana Hodkinson, composer
Christian Skovbjerg Jensen, Head of Inter Arts Center Malmö
Mary Miller, General and Artistic Director for Bergen Nasjonale Opera
David Moss, Performer and Director of the Institute for Living Voice
Georg Weckwerth, Independent Curator, Artistic Director of TONSPUR, Vienna, Austria.

The winning piece will be awarded with 200,000 DKK

Project timeline:
01.12.2014: Deadline for proposals
January 2015: All proposals are judged by the jury, shortlisted proposals are informed.
Spring 2015: Further process with shortlisted proposals
01.06.2015: Winning proposal announced
01.06.2016: Deadline for score, voices, sound files and technical rider
January 2017: First performance

The Jury:
Juliana Hodkinson
Juliana Hodkinson works with a focus on electro acoustic formats and the staging of music and sound, recently ordered by MaerzMusik/Scenatet, Klangspuren/Esbjerg Ensemble, SWR and Chamber Made Opera. She has also participated in award-winning collaborations with Konzerthaus Berlin and a number of schools in Berlin.
www.julianahodkinson.net/

Christian Skovbjerg Jensen
New manager of Inter Arts in Malmö, has previously spent many years curating art in the public space in Denmark. Among those Copenhagen Art Festival, where he was responsible for curating pieces in public spaces.
www.iac.lu.se

Mary Miller
General and Artistic Director for Bergen Nasjonale Opera, former Director of Stavanger 2008 (European Capital of Culture), former Head of festivals in Scotland and USA, for a number of years she headed development of new repertoire for the English National Opera etc.
www.bno.no

David Moss
Performer, Singer, Curator etc. Based in Berlin. Founder of the Institute for Living Voice, with which he has done several major performances and projects with audience participation. Among other things a major singing project for professional singers, amateurs and “non-singers”, performing concerts in public spaces and most recently an event in Umeå, Capital of Culture 2014 involving an orchestra, a choir, children and athletes.
www.davidmossmusic.com

Georg Weckwerth, Head of TONSPUR Kunstverein Wien, Austria
Vienna and Berlin based independent artist and curator. Initiator of festivals, such as “SoundArt 95” and “sonambiente”, and of exhibitions focusing on sound, including “The Potential Meanings of Sound”, “Vom Klang der Kunst”, “The Loudspeaker”, “Membra Disjecta for John Cage”, “Connecting Sound Etc.”. Founder and artistic director of the ongoing sound project “TONSPUR für einen öffentlichen raum”, permamently located in the public space of MuseumsQuartier Wien, and temporarily located in other cities, including Berlin, Prague, Copenhagen and Karlsruhe. In 2012 he curated “Listen to Your City--Listening To Art : A Tower full of Sounds Etc.”. for the Copenhagen Art Festival and the Wundergrund Festival held on Knippel Bridge and in its two listed historical turrets.
www.georgweckwerth.org