Volker Straebel (born 1969) is a German

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

and composer and performer of

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

Life

Straebel grew up in Berlin (West) where he was born. He studied

musicology Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

, philosophy and

library science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and ...

at the

Technische Universität Berlin The Technical University of Berlin (official name both in English and german: link=no, Technische Universität Berlin, also known as TU Berlin and Berlin Institute of Technology) is a public research university located in Berlin, Germany. It was ...

and the

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...

(Magister Artium). As

music journalist Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

, among others for ''

Der Tagesspiegel ''Der Tagesspiegel'' (meaning ''The Daily Mirror'') is a German daily newspaper. It has regional correspondent offices in Washington D.C. and Potsdam. It is the only major newspaper in the capital to have increased its circulation, now 148,000, s ...

'' (1996–2001) and the '' Berliner Seiten der Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung'' (2001–2002), he documented contemporary music and sound art in Berlin. In 2002–14 he was curatorial advisor to the festival

MaerzMusik MaerzMusik is a festival of the Berliner Festspiele and has been held annually since 2002 in March at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and other venues. It is the successor festival to the Musik-Biennale Berlin and is considered one of the most im ...

of the

Berliner Festspiele The Berliner Festspiele (German for Berlin Festivals) are a series of festivals, art exhibitions, and other cultural events organized all year long by a common organization in Berlin. Events are held at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, a pre-ex ...

. Between 2009 and 2014, he was head of the Electronic Studio at the Audio Communication Department of the

. 2015 Straebel took over as head of the Master's programme Sound Studies at the

Universität der Künste Berlin The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universiti ...

, which he fundamentally reformed in 2017 as Sound Studies and Sonic Arts. In 2020, he was named Dean of The Herb Alpert School of Music and Richard Seaver Distinguished Chair in Music at the

California Institute of the Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...

(CalArts). Straebel researches and publishes on the history and aesthetics of experimental music and

sound art Sound art is an artistic activity in which sound is utilized as a primary medium or material. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms. According to Brandon LaBelle, sound art ...

. He is also active in these fields as a composer and performer.

Work

Publications

* ''Musikalische Repräsentation geometrischer Objekte in Alvin Luciers Kammermusik'', in Alvin Lucier, ed. Ulrich Tadday Musik-Konzepte 180/81 Munich: Edition Text + Kritik 2018. . * Volker Straebel and Wilm Thoben: "Alvin Lucier’s ‚Music for Solo Performer" – Experimental Music Beyond Sonification," in ''Organised Sound'' 19:1 (April 2014). doi:10.1017/S135577181300037X * "Medienmusik, in Akustische Grundlagen von Musik, ed. by Stefan Weinzierl. Handbuch der systematischen Musikwissenschaft, vol. 5. Laaber: Laaber Verlag 2014. . * "Anmerkungen zur Sonifikationsmetapher in der Instrumentalmusik," in Das geschulte Ohr. Eine Kulturgeschichte der Sonifikation, eds. Andi Schoon and Axel Volmar. Bielefeld: Transkript 2012. . * ''From Reproduction to Performance: Media-Specific Music for Compact Disc,'' in ''Leonardo Music Journal'' 19 (2009). doi:10.1162/lmj.2009.19.23 * „Zur frühen Geschichte und Typologie der Klanginstallation,“ in Klangkunst, ed. Ulrich Tadday Musik-Konzepte, special issue München: Edition Text + Kritik 2008. . * „Technological implications of Phill Niblock’s drone music, derived from analytical observations of selected works for cello and string quartet on tape,“ in ''Organised Sound'' 13:3 (Dec. 2008). doi:10.1017/S1355771808000320; in deutscher Übersetzung: „Akustische Geographie. Komposition und Technologie in Phill Niblocks Drone-Musik,“ in: ''MusikTexte'' 132 (2012)

Pieces

* ''Chromatisch (8 Oktaven über 1/8 Hz)'', digital audio (silent), 2018. Released on ''Segmod'', CD Dumpf Edition #12, Zürich 2019 * ''101 W 18th St. (Sound Observation #8)'', sound installation, five channel digital audio, 2011/12. Group exhibition “Membra Disjecta for John Cage – Wanting to Say Something About John,” Freiraum Quartier21 International, MuseumsQuartier Vienna 2012 * ''"Every promise of the soul has innumerable fulfilments." Emerson attributes'', for speaker and two-channel digital audio, 2010. The Wulf, Los Angeles * ''Centre and Grand''. Sound Observation #5, live diffusion of four-channel digital audio, 2010. Experimental Intermedia, New York * Hegenbart/Straebel: ''09-11-1938'', sound installation in commemoration of “Kristallnacht”, 2008. Collegium Hungaricum, Berlin. In collaboration with Boris Hegenbart * ''Guben, 1625'', four-channel digital audio, 2001, Mex im Künstlerhaus Dortmund * ''Mikado'', solo performance with four-channel amplification, 1995. Freunde Guter Musik, Berlin

Realisations

* John Cage: ''Song Books with Concert for Piano and Orchestra'', opening production of MaerzMusik 2012, Berlin.

Joan La Barbara Joan Linda La Barbara (born June 8, 1947) is an American vocalist and composer known for her explorations of non-conventional or "extended" vocal techniques. Considered to be a vocal virtuoso in the field of contemporary music, she is credited w ...

, artistic direction; Ne(x)tworks; Die Maulwerker; Volker Straebel, scenic dramaturgy; Martin Supper, sound direction; Harald Frings, light design * John Cage: ''Aachen Musicircus on Europeras with Europera 4'' ''and Fontana Mix'', composed realization by Volker Straebel, directed by Ludger Engels. Commissioned by Theater Aachen, 2006 * John Cage: ''Urban Circus on Berlin Alexanderplatz'', realization of ''Circus on'' based on ''Berlin Alexanderplatz'' by Alfred Döblin for speaker and 48-channel tape, 2001. Commissioned by Ultraschall Festival, Sender Freies Berlin, Berlin. Premiered by

Hanns Zischler Hanns Zischler (born 18 June 1947) is a German actor known for his portrayal of Hans in Steven Spielberg's film ''Munich''. According to the Internet Movie Database, Zischler has appeared in 171 movies since 1968. He is known in Sweden for his r ...

References

External links

* *
Volker Straebels Website

Volker Straebel in der Bibliographie des Musikschrifttums
{{DEFAULTSORT:Straebel, Volker Musicologists from Berlin German music journalists German composers German performance artists Academic staff of the Berlin University of the Arts 1969 births Living people