Rhythmism.comUnsound Festival Q&A with Director/Curator Mat Schulz | February 4-14
by rhythmism
Tuesday, Feb 2nd 2010, 09:56 AM
Since 2003, Mat Schulz has organized the Unsound Festival, Poland's most adventurous music festival and one of Europe's premier Avant-Garde electronic music events in his adopted hometown of Kraków. Now, with seven festivals in their native city under their belt (and outpost events further east in cities like Minsk), Unsound is coming west to New York for their first ever North American edition. The event will take place from February 4 - 14th, 2010 at a variety of New York City's best venues. Unsound Festival New York’s mission is to forge new links between music genres, between generations and even between artistic practices.
The driving force in the assembling of the New York program has been Unsound Festival's commitment to forms of music and sound art that involve experimentation and risk. Unsound Festival has made a worldwide reputation by breaking new ground while dealing with vibrant electronic, experimental, independent, post-classical and club music scenes from around the world.
Download Halcyon's Free Unsound Mix Here
Unsound Festival New York is presented by Fundacja Tone, the Polish Cultural Institute in New York and the Goethe-Institut New York
From right - counter clockwise: Max Loderbauer, Vladislav Delay and Moritz von Oswald are part of the Unsound Festival.
How did the concept of the Unsound Festival originate?
The Polish version started in Krakow in 2003, at a time when Poland was still quite underdeveloped in terms of live shows. There was a space for a festival dealing with electronic and experimental music. An American friend and I started it as a hobby, something to do in our spare time, and over the years it's grown.
What are some of the core values that you associate with the Unsound festival?
Promoting advanced music, musicians who push boundaries, rather than creating music categories. Showing links between varied music genres. Not being limited by one idea of what our festival should be, but letting it develop. Collaboration. Working across borders with other organizers. Being geographically mobile. Promoting underrated or overlooked artists, especially those isolated as a result of the place where they're born. Seeing a festival as a tool for the creation of new work.
Pavel Ambiont
After some successful endeavors in Poland, what made you decide to bring the Unsound festival to New York City?
We were invited to do so by the New York Goethe-Institute and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York. The original idea was to focus on a series of Warhol films with live electronic music. After encountering the enthusiasm of local organizers and organizations to do something bigger, it just grew, in a very organic manner.
What are some of your favorite musical destinations in New York City?
I'm going to say all the venues in the festival program, as they're so varied. I think as long as the sound is good, the venue is secondary to the music programming, in any case.
How do you construct the line up for the festival? Who are some of the artists which you look forward to seeing?
For this festival I came here with an idea of a core idea of artists I wanted to bring, and then local organizers and curators contributed their concepts, and it just grew. It was quite a unique experience.
Newworldaquarium
What do you think will be some of the differences between the festival that is held in Poland and the one held in New York? In your knowledge, how is dance music traditionally viewed in Poland and how does it differ from the way it is viewed in the USA?
I'll tell you in 10 days or so.
The Unsound festival also includes a series of events entitled the "Warhol Series". Can you describe the "Warhol Series"? How did this particular aspect of the Unsound festival come to be included?
Like I said, the Warhol series was the original project we wanted to bring here to New York. The idea is to give classic Warhol films a new context through music. It changes the way you experience the films. It also refers to the "Exploding Plastic Inevitable", Warhol's project with the Velvet Undergound, where he screened film onto the performers. In general, Unsound is very interested in the whole concept of recontextualizing film works via music and sound art.
The majority of your club events are being held at NYC techno mainstay - Bunker at Public Assembly. How was this relationship conceived? What has been your experience with the Bunker in the past?
It was a clear choice to collaborate with Bryan Kasenic and Bunker. He's been someone working hard for years on ambitious club music in New York, in a very positive way.
Barbara Preisinger
Besides being an organizer and promoter of musical events, do you have a musical background? Who are some of your favorite artists or influences?
I started busking outside supermarkets in my hometown of Wagga Wagga, Australia, at the age of 15, playing guitar and singing. Now I just do that in my room... I like a lot of different music, from Bill Callahan to Bruno Pronsato, with Gorecki, Kode9, Sunn O))), Ben Frost and Bonnie Prince Billy in between.
Taking the Unsound Festival to New York City must be a big step in the life of the festival, what do you see as the future of the festival? What are some other locations that you have considered bringing the festival to?
Very far-flung locations. But I'm not sure we have time! As for Unsound's future, it's hard to say just yet.
Who are some of the "dream" artists that you would like to be involved with future editions of Unsound?
I'm more interested in "dream" collaborations than specific artists, the idea of bringing certain people or acts together.
Besides the countless hours you are putting into the festival? What other aspects of NYC do you enjoy?
It has to be the best city in the world for walking, and since I love walking, I love New York. There's never a shortage of something to look at, or listen to, and I find that stimulus very energizing. I love the expanse and contrasting areas of the city, and all the cultural reference points around that connect with things I've read, listened to or seen.
www.unsound.pl
Rhythmism.com is an official media partner for the Unsound Festival New York.
The driving force in the assembling of the New York program has been Unsound Festival's commitment to forms of music and sound art that involve experimentation and risk. Unsound Festival has made a worldwide reputation by breaking new ground while dealing with vibrant electronic, experimental, independent, post-classical and club music scenes from around the world.
Download Halcyon's Free Unsound Mix Here
Unsound Festival New York is presented by Fundacja Tone, the Polish Cultural Institute in New York and the Goethe-Institut New York
From right - counter clockwise: Max Loderbauer, Vladislav Delay and Moritz von Oswald are part of the Unsound Festival.
How did the concept of the Unsound Festival originate?
The Polish version started in Krakow in 2003, at a time when Poland was still quite underdeveloped in terms of live shows. There was a space for a festival dealing with electronic and experimental music. An American friend and I started it as a hobby, something to do in our spare time, and over the years it's grown.
What are some of the core values that you associate with the Unsound festival?
Promoting advanced music, musicians who push boundaries, rather than creating music categories. Showing links between varied music genres. Not being limited by one idea of what our festival should be, but letting it develop. Collaboration. Working across borders with other organizers. Being geographically mobile. Promoting underrated or overlooked artists, especially those isolated as a result of the place where they're born. Seeing a festival as a tool for the creation of new work.
Pavel Ambiont
After some successful endeavors in Poland, what made you decide to bring the Unsound festival to New York City?
We were invited to do so by the New York Goethe-Institute and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York. The original idea was to focus on a series of Warhol films with live electronic music. After encountering the enthusiasm of local organizers and organizations to do something bigger, it just grew, in a very organic manner.
What are some of your favorite musical destinations in New York City?
I'm going to say all the venues in the festival program, as they're so varied. I think as long as the sound is good, the venue is secondary to the music programming, in any case.
How do you construct the line up for the festival? Who are some of the artists which you look forward to seeing?
For this festival I came here with an idea of a core idea of artists I wanted to bring, and then local organizers and curators contributed their concepts, and it just grew. It was quite a unique experience.
Newworldaquarium
What do you think will be some of the differences between the festival that is held in Poland and the one held in New York? In your knowledge, how is dance music traditionally viewed in Poland and how does it differ from the way it is viewed in the USA?
I'll tell you in 10 days or so.
The Unsound festival also includes a series of events entitled the "Warhol Series". Can you describe the "Warhol Series"? How did this particular aspect of the Unsound festival come to be included?
Like I said, the Warhol series was the original project we wanted to bring here to New York. The idea is to give classic Warhol films a new context through music. It changes the way you experience the films. It also refers to the "Exploding Plastic Inevitable", Warhol's project with the Velvet Undergound, where he screened film onto the performers. In general, Unsound is very interested in the whole concept of recontextualizing film works via music and sound art.
The majority of your club events are being held at NYC techno mainstay - Bunker at Public Assembly. How was this relationship conceived? What has been your experience with the Bunker in the past?
It was a clear choice to collaborate with Bryan Kasenic and Bunker. He's been someone working hard for years on ambitious club music in New York, in a very positive way.
Barbara Preisinger
Besides being an organizer and promoter of musical events, do you have a musical background? Who are some of your favorite artists or influences?
I started busking outside supermarkets in my hometown of Wagga Wagga, Australia, at the age of 15, playing guitar and singing. Now I just do that in my room... I like a lot of different music, from Bill Callahan to Bruno Pronsato, with Gorecki, Kode9, Sunn O))), Ben Frost and Bonnie Prince Billy in between.
Taking the Unsound Festival to New York City must be a big step in the life of the festival, what do you see as the future of the festival? What are some other locations that you have considered bringing the festival to?
Very far-flung locations. But I'm not sure we have time! As for Unsound's future, it's hard to say just yet.
Who are some of the "dream" artists that you would like to be involved with future editions of Unsound?
I'm more interested in "dream" collaborations than specific artists, the idea of bringing certain people or acts together.
Besides the countless hours you are putting into the festival? What other aspects of NYC do you enjoy?
It has to be the best city in the world for walking, and since I love walking, I love New York. There's never a shortage of something to look at, or listen to, and I find that stimulus very energizing. I love the expanse and contrasting areas of the city, and all the cultural reference points around that connect with things I've read, listened to or seen.
www.unsound.pl
Rhythmism.com is an official media partner for the Unsound Festival New York.
