RELIC
Relic - Sample - Quote - Appropriation Art - Cultural Appropriation
PROGRAM
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Elena Rykova: The Sounds We Cannot Keep for 4 electric guitars (2025)
Jannik Giger: TAR for 4 electric guitars and tape (2025)
Jana De Troyer: Fashionista’s for 4 prepared electric guitars (2019)
Steve Reich: Electric Guitar Phase for 4 electric guitars (2000)
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The new project of the HOAX Quartet explores the multifaceted concept of the relic, which serves as a metaphor for musical discoveries (such as samples or objects used for sound generation). In an artistic manner, RELIC engages with the controversial topic of cultural appropriation and opens a dialogue about the contrasting pairs of tradition vs. innovation, original vs. copy, and interpretation vs. creation.
The project includes two commissioned works for four electric guitars by renowned composers Elena Rykova and Jannik Giger, as well as two existing pieces by Jana De Troyer and Steve Reich.
Jannik Giger's artistic interest particularly lies in appropriation art, for example, by incorporating samples into his compositions, while Elena Rykova often contrasts found objects with traditional instruments in her works, complementing and enriching one through the other, often with a strong visual aspect.
The existing pieces by Jana De Troyer and Steve Reich notably work with the inclusion of samples and collage techniques, placing the musical "relics" in a new context and thus creating a unique aesthetic. Both pieces are based on minimalist patterns that are interwoven and layered. However, the musical expression of De Troyer and Reich is fundamentally different, providing an exciting contrast in the concert program.