SOAPBOX 2026 - Konus Quartett

Description

pakt bern "My music has increasingly developed into a music of movement. The new piece will also move within this tension: on one hand, there is the space, the atmosphere, the seemingly still time – on the other hand, energy that drives the piece in a certain direction and allows the listeners to take a journey with the piece. This idea of 'storytelling' without program music has opened a new chapter in my composition. I will further explore this path in the new piece and am curious to see how it connects with my musical language, which focuses on reduction, transparency, and sonic perception." Jürg Frey, November 2025. For over 10 years, the Konus Quartet has repeatedly performed works by Jürg Frey (including recipient of the Swiss Music Prize). Since the first collaborative phase, there have been numerous encounters, whether in preparation for one of the many performances of his saxophone quartet or in the context of developing the work "Continuité, fragilité, résonance" for string and saxophone quartet. With Frey's music, the ensemble has been invited to renowned festivals such as Time:Spans New York, Musica Strasbourg, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Bern Music Festival, etc. Mutual understanding has grown through the recurring working phases, and the aesthetic line pursued by the quartet has been significantly shaped by the collaboration with Frey. The young Swedish composer Emil Nilsson sought contact with the Konus Quartet some time ago, and now, after intensive collaboration during a residency in Gothenburg, we can premiere his piece for saxophone quartet in Switzerland. His calm, slowly developing music with plenty of space for surfaces and sounds fits perfectly with the aesthetic that the Konus Quartet stands for.