Music-Dialogue: Hans Thomalla

Hans Thomalla (b. 1975) is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive German composers of his generation.

Rejecting every stylistic pigeon‑hole, he fuses an array of techniques, materials and inspirations – musical and extramusical alike – into a sound‑world whose clarity of thought is matched only by its arresting expressive force.

A native of Bonn, Thomalla studied composition in Frankfurt, served as a dramaturge at Stuttgart Opera (working with Helmut Lachenmann), earned his doctorate under Brian Ferneyhough at Stanford University and since 2007, has been a professor of composition in Chicago.

His oeuvre, which includes solo, chamber, orchestral works as well as four operas, is championed by leading international ensembles and festivals. Awards include the Kranichstein Music Prize (2004) and the Ernst‑von‑Siemens Composers’ Prize (2011); in 2024/25 Thomalla is a Villa Massimo Fellow in Rome.

With a Portrait Conversation Concert on May 2nd 2025, “sämusic”, in cooperation with the Goethe‑Institut Seoul and the University of Chicago, will introduce Korean audiences to Hans Thomalla, his music and his ideas.
 

Program	Performers
Piano Counterpart (2008) for piano *AP Air (2018) für solo violin *AP Harmoniemusik [1] (2019) for amplified ensemble *AP (*AP: Asian Premiere)	Subin Hwang, violin Hyeseong Chun, viola Jooyeon Choi, cello Zhongshu Ha, flute Minchan Kim, clarinet Seongcheol Choi, percussion Kim Rabenda, piano Hyuk Yu, conductor Musical Director: Kim Rabenda Host & Producer: Christian Rabenda

“sämusic” is a platform for New Music projects and concert productions founded by music journalist Christian Rabenda and pianist Kim Rabenda in 2017. “sämusic” aims at presenting New Music within a seamless aesthetic experience that also engages with the rich intellectual and artistic discourses surrounding it.