A human body is not a piano!
Thilo Ruck is a guitarist specializing in contemporary music and improvisation. He performs as a soloist and with the trio Pony Says. He has also appeared as a guest with ensembles such as ascolta, Ensemble recherche, MaM, NEuE, and others. His focus is on the electric guitar, which he sees as the ideal interface between the kinetic and digital realms. As a performer, he explores approaches to “New Virtuosity”—that is, the question of how contemporary virtuosity can unfold within the tension between idiomatic mastery, individual sonic signature, aesthetic considerations, and the social relevance of art.
In addition to sonic aspects, visual, physical, performance-related, and analytical elements are central to his work. A human body is not a piano! He views the performer as a versatile artist with a background extending beyond the instrument—as an active co-creator of pieces who makes an individual contribution in dialogue with composers. In this spirit, he initiates composition commissions and is committed to expanding the electric guitar repertoire.
He has performed at venues including Berghain Berlin/CTM Festival, Donaueschingen, ECLAT, the Elbphilharmonie, SWR JetztMusik, and Ultraschall, presenting world premieres of works by Annesley Black, Andreas Frank, Sara Glojnarić, Lucia Kilger, Georgia Koumara, Philipp Krebs, Johannes Kreidler, Michael Maierhof, Svetlana Maraš, Jessie Marino, Luxa Mart*in Schüttler, Hannes Seidl, Sara Stevanović, and Steven Takasugi.