“Changing Rules” – which rules do we want to break, and which ones do we want to fight for? Especially in times of social and political change, art is not merely an expression, but also a statement. Through their works, composers have always revolutionised the musical understanding of their era, pushed boundaries and opened up new horizons. Frederic Rzewski, for example, sought to free New Music from its elitist ivory tower and saw his music as a political message. John Cage, on the other hand, made chance a co-author and silence an integral part of his music, whilst Steve Reich founded a new musical movement – hypnotic, pulsating and timelessly modern.
But “Changing Rules” is more than a tribute to the visionaries of the past. In this collaboration, pianist Kai Schumacher joins forces with the band AFAR, who explore the paradox of naturalness and artificiality in their music. Using analogue synthesisers, electric guitar and vocals, they create soundscapes that are at times danceable, at times fragile and ethereal, at times menacing – but always develop a pull that is hard to resist. Their current album bears the same title as this concert: Changing Rules. Together, Kai Schumacher and AFAR blur musical boundaries by transforming both their own pieces and works by the composers into new, unexpected forms – entirely according to their own rules.
Somewhere between the classical repertoire and electronic soundscapes, between tradition and innovation, a musical experiment emerges that defies rigid structures. What happens when rules are not merely altered, but suspended altogether? Where does a concert lead when it knows no predetermined paths? The answer lies in the moment – and perhaps precisely where one least expects it.
Works by: John Cage, Steve Reich, Frederic Rzewski, AFAR, Kai Schumacher and others.