Fractals. Similarity. Modules. Three computers connect into a meta instrument. In division of lavour, meta data is fed into the circuit. A willfull algorithmic DNA developed from scratch creates a lively, mutant, decentralised network. Visual structures translate into sound translate into visualizations of their hidden circuitry. Benjamin Grau, Vincent Michalke, Philipp Lack are Hackmeck. -> Read the interview in our Newsletter.
Vincent Michalke studied composition in Hanover with Joachim Heintz and Gordon Williamson, MA Electronic Composition with Michael Beil in Cologne, and with Orm Finnendahl in Frankfurt. His works have been performed by Ensemble Mosaik, Ensemble Garage, Musica Assoluta and Electronic ID, among others, in venues and festivals such as Kunstfestspiele Herrenhausen, Sprengelmuseum and Kunstverein in Hanover, ACHTBRÜCKEN Festival and Departure in Cologne, and the NOW! Festival in Essen. His works focus on intermedial performances that explore connections between music, movement and live electronics.
Benjamin Grau is a musician and composer. In his music, he draws inspiration primarily from the realm of popular music. In doing so, he isolates sounds, structures and processes that evoke a strong, inner reaction in him, drives them to extremes and thus detaches them from their original context. In assembling the obtained materials and set pieces, he leaves behind the idioms of popular music as well as contemporary composition. He completed his concert exam in electronic composition with Prof. Michael Beil at the Cologne University of Music and Dance in September 2020. He has worked with the countertenor Kai Wessel, Ensemble Garage, Electronic ID and Musikfabrik. He took second prize at the ACHT BRÜCKEN composition competition 2019.
Philipp Lack is an electronic composer, pianist and singer, and performs in music theatre, opera and choirs. He completed his studies in electronic composition in Cologne in 2018 with the film »Intelligent – Lebensfroh – Handfest«. He produced the music of the animated film »Mystik«, presented his radio play »Gemüt Geist« at the ACHT BRÜCKEN Festival 2017 and made the music in the dance theatre »Solo+« with the Freiraum Ensemble. Since 2020 he is a member of the composition collective Zeitklang. Philipp enjoys working with the music programming language SuperCollider. He sees music primarily as an emergent interplay of complex parameters and enjoys searching for the point at which intervention in detail is called for.
Polymer is a concert series by ON – Neue Musik Köln based on a call from IV e&k supported by the city Cologne and the Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Hackmeck is supported by Musikfonds e.V., Neustart Kultur and Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien.