Sergej Tchirkov, accordeon

Sergej Tchirkov | The shared space I

The shared space is a sonic development.
The shared space recognizes the authorship – it is “The” situation and “The” space that is being developed.
The shared space is based on personal experience.
The shared space creates a new virtuosity which emphasizes fragility and uniqueness of every performance.
The shared space embraces identities and differences.
The shared space is the body and its vibrations.
The shared space is different itself.
The shared space is generous.
The shared space is meant to be shared.
The shared is space.
The shared
“The”..

About the concert

The concert on Friday, 12th of August is an attempt to address a physical space in which people listen to music, talk to each other, talk to themselves. The objective is to turn this physical common space into the Shared Space. What do we share in ghis environment depends to a large extent on ourselves.

The programme of The Shared Space I varies from spiritual music by Sofia Gubaiduluna (*1931) to the rock-based work by Ukrainian composer, graduate of St.Petersbourg Conservatory Olexander Pushkarenko (*1952). In the centre of the programme is the premiere performance of a meditative, nearly silent composition by German composer, organist, member of the Wandelweiser Collective Eva-Maria Houben (*1955).

About Sergej Tchirkov

Sergej Tchirkov (*1980, St. Petersburg) is accordion performer, curator and researcher based in Bergen.

His interest in new music has led him to numerous collaborations with composers, such as Pierluigi Billone, Hanna Eimermacher, José María Sánchez Verdú, Ivan Fedele, Tamara Friebel, Klaus Lang, Dmitri Kourliandski, Elena Rykova, Dieter Schnebel, Gérard Zinsstag, Ida Lunden, Sergej Newski, Thomas Kessler and more. Around 300 works for accordion have been premiered by Tchirkov.

A regular guest musician of Collegium Novum Zürich, musicAeterna a.o. Sergej Tchirkov has also performed with leading European orchestras under Teodor Currentzis, Titus Engel, Wladimir Jurowski and Susanne Mälkki.

Tchirkov has lectured at many universities of music in Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne, Oslo, Gothenburg, Astana, Kuopio. In 2013 – 2021 he was deputy artistic director of the Studio for New Music ensemble and university lecturer in contemporary music at Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

He currently works as a research fellow in artistic research at the University of Bergen, Department of Fine Arts, Music and Design, the Grieg Academy.

His most recent curatorial and artistic activities include anti-war concerts in solidarity with Ukraine.

Program notes

Eva-Maria Houben July. A collection [2021] – world premiere
This collection of seemingly simple melodies reflects the composer’s very personal experience of listening to music by Erik Satie (1866-1925) – one of the most original and unconventional musicians, whose music as well as his eccentric lifestyle influenced generations of composers. Like most of Eva-Maria’s music July. a collection is an attempt to open up a space between silence and sound; it is an invitation to reflect on our shared responsibility for the sounds that are produced and perceived; a map of simple but very profound listening tracks; an awareness of sound and its absence. In the preface to the score, Houben writes that this composition was originally written for accordion and is dedicated to “Sergei Tchirkov, others”. The “others” are not limited to the circle of Eva-Maria Houben’s friends and co-workers that she thought of when she worked on the composition, but it goes far beyond the private sphere, it urges the listener to take an active role in the interpretation of the music. Right now, right here … Or later. Or somewhere else. “A lot of old and fun stuff. Do what you want with it,” – I read in a footnote in the score. This phrase can be understood both as an instruction to the musician and as a message to the audience. As enigmatic and Satie-like as this phrase may seem to us, it leaves room for our imagination and gives us an opportunity to think about what we really want to do with / within / beyond / beyond / outside of the music.

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