Michael Renkel
Michel Renkel (born 1965) is a German concert guitarist who extends his instrument via live electronics and computer.
Life and works
Michael Renkel was born in Celle. At the age of eight he began to learn playing concert guitar (lessons); he studied at the Hamburger Konservatorium classical guitar (1990–1994) and developed his own style since 1989 using preparations and advanced playing techniques.
He is engaged in aleatoric composition, variable forms and structures as well as notation. Influences are (amongst others): John Cage, Morton Feldman, Hans Werner Henze, Helmut Lachenmann, Violeta Dinescu, Derek Bailey, but also old lute music. He was the first musician transforming the concert guitar by means of computer patches and live processing.
Renkel works exclusively in long standing projects developing a very own group aesthetics and language: since 1989 Activity Center[1] with Burkhard Beins, the electro-acoustic trio phono_phono, the ensemble phosphor with Axel Dörner, Ignaz Schick, Robin Hayward, Annette Krebs, Andrea Neumann, the Berlin Electric Guitar Unit[2] and the duo with Sven-Åke Johansson.[3] He performs Europe-wide on several festivals, including musique action,[4] nous sons [5] and LEM Festival/Spain,[6] Expozice Nové Hudby, Czech Republic[7] or International Art Bienale in Poland.
Selected discography
- 2008, Kalte Welle 102, Kning Disc, duo with Sven Åke Johansson
- 2007, phono_phono, absinthRecords 014,[8] trio with M. Mayas, S. Vogel
- 2005, Ensemble Phosphor, Neue Musik in Deutschland 1950 - 2000,[9] Deutscher Musikrat + Sony BMG
- 2005, Errorkoerper III, absinthRecords 009
- 2003, Activity Center & Phil Minton, absinthRecords 006
- 2003, Berlin Strings, absinthRecords 002[10] / compilation
- 2002, Sitill, L'Innomable, duo with Luca Venitucci
- 2002, Rabecca, Charhizma 022
- 2001, Phosphor, Potlatch P501
- 1999, möwen & moos, 2:13 Music 008/009, Activity Center, duo with Burkhard Beins
- 1996, Nunc, 2:13 Music 02[11]
Quotes
The performance of Michael Renkel's playing is characterized by an unbelievable acuteness and sophistication—(Nina Polaschegg), Neue Zeitschrift für Musik 02/2004, p.78
Renkel is some kind of genius, too a guitarist who can be described as 'post-Bailey'...—(Brian Morton), The Wire[12] 7/2008 p.49
References
- ↑ http://burkhardbeins.de/groups/activity_center.html
- ↑ http://www.myspace.com/begumusic
- ↑ http://renkel.org/page/johanssonrenkelreviews.html
- ↑ http://www.centremalraux.com/
- ↑ http://www.tomajazz.com/conciertos/2005/02/phosphor_noussons05.htm
- ↑ http://www.gracia-territori.com/index.htm
- ↑ http://www.mhf-brno.cz/enh/
- ↑ http://www.absinthrecords.com/seiten/014.htm
- ↑ http://www.musikrat.de/index.php?id=1531
- ↑ http://www.absinthrecords.com/seiten/002.htm
- ↑ http://www.2-13.co.uk/
- ↑ http://www.thewire.co.uk/
External links
- Official website
- Michael Renkel on Myspace
- Activity Center
- The amplified stringboard
- Interview at addlimb.org
- biography at European Free Improvisation Pages
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