The field of contemporary music currently seems to be emerging. Partly responsible for this movement is a young generation of composers who extend the stylistic range of Austrian contemporary music with never-before-heard facets. This time mica protrays the composer Marios Joannou Elia.
Fast Facts
Born in 1978 in Cyprus, since 1998 in Salzburg. He studied composition at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Adriana Hölszky and musicology with Dieter Torkewitz at the Vienna Music University. Numerous international awards and honors, including Counter Point “Luciano Berio” First Prize in New York, Kazimierz Serocki First Prize in Warsaw, Witold Lutoslawski First Prize in Warsaw, Edison Denisov First Prize in Moscow, BMW price of Musica Viva and the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation in Munich, “Artist of the Year” 2010 in Cyprus. Artistic director of the multimedia event “autosymphonic” in Mannheim (2010-11), founder and president of the “New Works Festival” in Southampton (2010), artistic assistant at the Salzburg Mozarteum (2003-06). Performances in Austria, including at the Salzburg Easter Festival, Klangspuren Schwaz, Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Salzburg Biennale, Aspekte Salzburg etc. Regular performances abroad.
Marios Joannou Elia – Akanthai by mica
Portrait
In his mostly large-scale works, Marios Joannou Elia refers to the ancient Greek tragedy and transfers the idea of the total work of art in the present. He not only combines various media, but passionately includes the sounds of vehicles and machines. As in “autosymphonic”, 80 cars like race cars, classic cars or trucks become a part of the sound ensemble. The noise of the motors, windshield wipers and horns are combined with the sounds of a big orchestra, a choir, a percussion ensemble and two vocal ensembles. The composition is part of a cycle in which others are also components of bicycles, motorcycles, aircraft and ships are used musically. It seems obvious that the preferred subjects by Elia are wanderlust, discovery and adventure. In most cases, matched to the occasion and the room, he relates this situation musically and through other media in his work. The fan of cars, who likes to test all sorts of means of transportation, is committed to appeal to a broad audience with this approach.
Important Compositions
“Autosymphonic”
Open-air multimedia symphony for large symphony orchestra, 80 cars, 120 percussionists, choir, children choir, vocal ensemble, percussion ensemble and electronics (2010/11)
Premiered: SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden and Freiburg, SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart, children’s choir of the Staatsoper Stuttgart, Pop Academy Baden-Wuerttemberg and Söhne Mannheims, Mannheim Friedrichsplatz
“Die Jagd”
Nature opera with cars for 4 singers, 3 actors, hunting chorus, two choruses, 20 recorded voices, instrumental ensemble in two groups, car sextet and electronics (2008)
Premiered: Staatsoper Stuttgart, in co-production with Theater Rampe Stuttgart
“Akanthai”
for chamber orchestra (2006)
Premiered: Ensemble Modern, Dir: Hsiao-Lin Liao/Stefan Asbury, Haus der Deutschen Ensemble Akademie, Frankfurt a. M.
Photo: Christian Reisinger