Hauschka - Reflections on Classical Music | KlassikAkzente by STAGE+

Hauschka is the alias of German pianist and composer Volker Bertelmann, who currently resides in Dusseldorf. Having studied classical piano for ten years, his work as Hauschka is based upon a playful exploration of the possibilities of the ‘prepared’ piano – a playfully disruptive intervention into the preconceived idea of the piano as a pure-toned, perfected instrument waiting for a gifted virtuoso to play on it. Clamping wedges of leather, felt or rubber between the strings; preparing the hammers with aluminium paper or rough films; weaving guitar strings around the piano’s guts – his resulting tracks are composed both originally and with charm. Vivid, unconventional pieces made in a spirit of playful research-enthusiasm. Besides working as Hauschka, Volker is a member of Music A.M., a collaboration with Stefan Schneider (To Rococco Rot) and Luke Sutherland (Long Fin Killie); and of the electronic / club tracks duo Tonetraeger, his project with Torsten Mauss.