Nik Bärtsch

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Nik Bärtsch (b. 1971) is a Swiss pianist, composer and producer from Zurich. He lives in Zurich and Berlin. He began studying piano and percussion at the age of 8. In 1997 he graduated from the Musikhochschule Zürich. Between the years of 1989 and 2001 he studied philosophy, linguistics and musicology at the University of Zurich. He was an Instructor for ‘Practical Aesthetics’ at the 'Musikhochschule Zürich/Winterthur' (2000-2003). During 2003/2004 he stayed in Japan for half a year.

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[edit] Music and career

Nik Bärtsch works on three parallel projects: as a solo artist, with the acoustic group Mobile and with the 'zen-funk' unit Ronin. In solo he performers his own compositions on prepared piano with percussion. Mobile plays purely acoustic music, performed in rituals of up to 36 hours, including light- and room design. plays The Zen-funk quartet Ronin, by contrast, is more flexible and plays the compositions more freely. Since 1997 the group Mobile includes Kaspar Rast(drums), Mats Eser and Sha (bass, clarinet); and since 2001 Ronin includes Kaspar Rast, Björn Meyer (bass), Andi Pupato (percussion) and Sha. The earlier projects have been released on Ronin Rhythm Records but in 2006 Bärtsch has been signed to ECM.

[edit] Awards

1999 and 2002 Career award of the ‘UBS Cultural Foundation’. 2002 'Werkjahr' (career award) from the city of Zurich. 2004 Culture-award from the town of Zollikon (appreciation-award). 2006 Priority jazz support from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.

[edit] Discography

Nik Bärtsch's Ronin:

  • 2008 Holon, ECM
  • 2006 Stoa, ECM
  • 2004 Rea, Ronin Records
  • 2003 Live, Ronin Records
  • 2002 Randori, Ronin Records

Nik Bärtsch's Mobile:

  • 2004 Aer
  • 2001 Ritual Groove Music

Nik Bärtsch:

  • 2002 Hishiryo

[edit] External links

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