Long Life, Happiness and Peace for 2021
What happened in 2020?
Covid Restriction at a concert in Salzburg (Photo by Edward Perraud)
Chair Mandala - 10 chairs painted by Almut Kühne Florian Weber, Anna Lena Schnabel, Edward Perraud, Alejandro Moreno, Christopher Dell, Niklaus Troxler, Boris Cassata, Almut’s sun & cousin and Helge Leiberg.
Boris and Alejandro overseen by Mozart…
On the road filming a wheel chair road movie “Roll 4 US” now in assembly stage thanks to Sak Costanzo.
You can help us finishing the film by donating here: Roll 4 US
Arrival at the Capital after 270 miles raising after Gulf War illness and legalizing recreational marijuana with Andrew Hanson, Lonnie Johnson and Blind Native Veteran Kevin Shores.
Almut Kühne performing at the Blaue Gans Art Hotel with Niklaus taped chair. Special thanks to Andreas for hosting us!
Anna-Lena Schnabel, Florian Weber and Edward Perraud in after Chair Mandala…
Empty planes across the Atlantic felt safer than taking the subway in NYC….
Solo Improvisation over the Mirabell Platz from the Mozarteum.
Helge Leiberg’s overhead projection on Mozart’s birth-house. A few trumpet notes may had an impact on the painting? Inside the house were Anna-Lena and Eduard performing but we couldn’t hear them and I was happy to make some noise..
A gift from Helge now hanging in our NYC Appartment.
All the bandits and art fighters creating a infectious art virus… Many thanks to Claudia and Fred to open their “Leerstand”. And of course Tina Heine on the left who put the “Zwischenräume Festival” together! THANK YOU!
Madrid stop over visiting Museo Reina Sofia and a lesson with flamenco master Enrique Vargas.
Grateful to have met, learned from and performed with Alejandro Moreno.
Amsterdam Stop Over visiting the Rembrandthuis.
How to you ride blind on an electric chair? Ask Kevin and Lonnie they have answers…
Studying UNITY for Wall of Forgotten Natives. Play the Four Direction Scene here (Desktop Computer only). Graphic Art by Tony Grahn.
Many thanks to Lara Lewison for teaching me UNITY at Harvestworks via an artist scholarship.
Please support Harvestworks by clicking here!
Plant some trees to save the planet and expose our former president hoarding paper. Click Play (Desktop Computer only)
Raising funds to bring GRIOT to more fans worldwide! You can help!
Big THANK YOU to everyone who already did chip in!
THANKS YOU AGAIN for making 2020 a product year despite our challenges!
SILENT THUNDER
Mat Malanowski - piano
Volker Goetze - trumpet
Friday, January 17, 2020, 8:00 PM
America's National Opera Center
330 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Dear Friends,
It's been a while since my last newsletter. I hope you have all
been well. I wanted to share some exciting news!
I am releasing a new duo album, which was recorded back in
2013. My friend, the very talented multi-instrumentalist Chris Torkewitz and I worked for months on the musical context and the arrangements. It was recorded at the historic Avatar Studios
here in New York with sound magician Jim Anderson.
I will be touring to promote the album with Matt Malanowski, an
innovative musical prodigy and we are looking forward to presenting the music to you. Please join us for the following concerts:
Dec 13 LOFT, Wissmanstraße 30, Cologne
Jan 17, National Opera Center America, New York
Tell your friends and see you all either in New York or
Cologne!
Also please help me to reach 1000 subscribes
on YouTube which will allow me to
distribute GRIOT a feature documentary about the oral history and music of West
Arica!
All the best and peace to the
world!
Volker.
Please see below for news about my other
projects:
Wall of Forgotten Natives
Last year the American Composer Forum honored me with the Knight Composing residency. The community VR project follows a group of Native Americans
in Minneapolis who are forced to live in an encampment near the highway. They survive the worst of circumstances by bonding together and fighting for desperately needed resources. The project was
shot using 360 video and features a dance performance utilizing VR technology. It was one of the twelve finalists for the Knight Foundation's immersive technology call this year. I am excited to announce that the project has made it to the second round for
the New Frontier
Lab at the Sundance Film Institute. I am grateful to
the many friends I have made and the invaluable support from from the Native Community. They invited me to a sweat lodge, to their most sacred sun dance ceremony and I also interviewed Sioux chief
Galen Drapeau.
Tony Grahn a former resident of the encampment painted the four
directions for the 360 video and we traveled together to the badlands and wounded knee.
Native Choegrapher Rosy Simas, cellist Jacquline Ultan and myself had the opportunity to workshop a VR project inspired by Wall of Forgotten Natives in Salzburg at Jazz & The City which was a
blast! Here is a special links only for you:
Workshop Performance Wall of Forgotten Natives
And I had the amazing opportunity to perform solo at
the Toscaninihof in Salzburg with light-projection
artist Katrin Bethge. She is amazing check her work out!
SONIC GATES
Click on the map to view a 360 video from last year's
opening ceremony of SONIC
GATES!
Float, Float, Float On by Arthur Simms
SONIC GATES was installed - NYC's first sound sculpture walk uplifted local communities by bringing new customers into
the Bay Street Corridor, driving small businesses and highlighting the work of NYC local artists.
Ablaye Cissoko and myself toured again around Europe and I feel
blessed to be alive to create beauty and deep healing through our concerts.