Sound and Ruins

Liza Kuzyakova's research on Sound and Ruins explores the terrain of tangible and intangible layers that shape electroacoustic sound. Using the ruinous thought as a speculative strategy for composition, Liza investigates perceptual tensions in listening: focusing on the interplay between the materiality of acoustic and electronic sounds, acoustic spaces, and the imaginative dimensions of aural phenomena.

On December 12th, Liza will present pieces developed through her ongoing research -- a sonic exploration of the aesthetics of fragmentation and the relationship of sound and memory. What does it mean to compose ruins? How can an architectural ruin become the metaphor for a sonic material?

Liza Kuzyakova's artistic practice spans diverse contexts, from spatial electroacoustic composition and live performance to creating sound for installations and dance.

catching the sounds of the mind

Elif Gülin Soğuksu’s research looks at catching the sounds of the mind. She explores voice as a potential that has a role in the formation of sonic imagination to be employed for dealing with electronic music composition and algorithmic performances. How accurately could one listen to the imagined sounds or create them mentally in the process of composing? How are they materialized, and through what means? 

Elif’s performance will be based on algorithmic approaches on SuperCollider and on pre-composed materials. Synthetic sounds, field recordings, micro sounds—electronic clicks, impulses, and discrete sounds—and ethereal voices and harmonies traverse the surfaces, colliding into the texture, density, and sparseness of the space. A blurry, malleable sonic space that shifts back and forth in between flashbacks of sonic memories and traces of the vocal material that plays with the mode of listening and perceptual attention, alternating in between pure, distorted, and processed vocal materials. 

Entrance to the presentations is free of charge!

Christian Streit Smith is in residency at Studio Loos from November 25th-30th, working on new pieces of experimental music by Santiago Díez Fischer and Hilde Wollenstein for percussion and electronics.   In addition he is researching different ways to amplify 'objects' & 'percussion' through lo-fi (and 'hi-fi') methods, as well as the societal and cultural contexts of these technologies.  The questions are, what are the benefits/drawbacks to subscribing to one method or the other? And how do we define what is a positive vs. a negative outcome? Finally, is lo-fi an adequate description for the work we are doing, or is it perhaps the 'highest fidelity'? 

Wollenstein is assisting him in the research method exploring these topics, drawing from her background as a performer and a composer of sample based live music.  

program: 

• 8pm short talk from Christian

• 830pm performances :

  • 'under the redwood tree my grave was laid' by Santiago Díez Fischer  *premiere

  • for solo amplified bowed spatula & ruler + voice & electronics 

  • 'high, higher, highest fidelity' by Hilde Wollenstein in collaboration with Christian  *premiere

  • for objects, samples, and text 

The event is free of charge!

bios: 

Christian Streit Smith (b. 1990, USA) is a percussionist residing in The Hague. Before moving here in 2016 he received masters degrees from the Basel Hochschule für Musik and McGill University, and the bachelor's from Oberlin Conservatory.  In addition to his work as a musician he works full time in garden construction.  His interests are myriad and undefined, but he cares about people and music.  For this project he hopes to understand more about his instrument and sound production. 

Hilde Wollenstein (free version), born 1997 in Culemborg, Netherlands, lives in The Hague and Berlin. 2015-18 she studied classical clarinet at the Conservatory in Utrecht. Since 2018 she studied Sonology at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague, completing the bachelors in 2022, currently following the masters programme. She has been working for Cashmere Radio in Berlin since 2023, and other places that facilitate (experimental) music too. 

My self-released album ‘right hand - left hand’ is an archive of material made in 2023, used in the one-hour long radio piece ‘original material played at cashmere radio, berlin’ and performances that followed. In 2024 I started to involve poetry and my voice too. This can be heard in the release 'don't give up', which contains five pieces cut from a live performance and speaks of a world with borders and lack of space to dream. I prefer to work in a diverse bundle of places, and to have a perfect focus, not a perfect product. My intention to work and commitment to the work should be clear, also when the will is groundless. At the moment, I am specifically interested in music and performance art that is subversive, and wants to short-circuit states of control. 

Join us for a public presentation and discussion of artistic research by Viktoria Nikolova at Studio LOOS!

Sewing Grounds is an interdisciplinary project that explores the interplay between memory, displacement, and sound through the medium of a transformed sewing machine. This performance seeks to capture and translate the folklore music and stories of Scandinavia, Bulgaria, and England, reflecting the physical and emotional landscapes shaped by war and environmental disasters. By sewing a fabric map infused with field recordings and vocal elements, we evoke the lived experiences of displaced communities, connecting their pasts to the present.

The project emphasizes the intimate relationship between everyday objects and cultural rituals, merging domestic practices with sacred acts. Through the act of sewing, we map the sonic landscapes of migration, revealing how the pressures of history are stitched into the fabric of our identities. The incorporation of conductive materials allows for a dynamic auditory experience, amplifying the needle's impact and the fabric's response.

Viktoria Nikolova in colaboration with musicians Phoebe Kirrage and Julie Hasfjord, cellist Leah Plave, and technical support for instrument development, invite the audience into a shared space of reflection and resonance. This ongoing exploration aims to honor and transmit the memories of those who have experienced displacement, weaving together threads of history, culture, and sound.

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about the artists

Viktoria Nikolova

Viktoria Nikolova is a singer, performer, and curator from Sofia, Bulgaria, based in the Netherlands. She earned a Master’s in Classical Singing from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, specializing in Bulgarian folklore singing. Viktoria collaborates with various composers and ensembles, working with varied vocal styles and improvisation. Currently, she is pursuing a degree in Cultural Sciences at Leiden University and serves as co-president of Kunstgang Commission gallery space.

Her 2019 performance "Metamorphosis of a Female Character" won the Themaprijs and Oorkaanprijs at Grachtenfestival. She has participated in festivals such as Opera Forward, Westben, and Plop, and was part of NKK NXT's 2019/20 internship. Viktoria's work explores artistic mediation, the intersection of memory, physical spaces and technology, and themes of identity and migration. In 2022 she founded with Phoebe Kirrage and Julie Hasfjord the vocal trio Bitter Blossoms. In 2024 she completed the One-Year Course at the Institute of Sonology.

Phoebe Kirrage

Phoebe Kirrage, originally from Newark, Nottinghamshire, began her musical journey at Lincoln Cathedral. She later studied at Wells Cathedral School under Nigel Perrin and earned her BMus(Hons) from Royal Holloway, University of London, where she held a choral scholarship. With this choir, she performed at iconic venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace, and toured across Europe, North America, and Canada.

After graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague in 2020, Phoebe embarked on a career as a soloist and ensemble singer, working with ensembles like Nederlands Kamerkoor, Holland Opera, and Nederlands Reisopera. She was also a participant in NKK NXT and performed at prestigious events such as the Koningsnacht Concert 2023. Phoebe recently completed a 90-performance tour with Wende Snijders’ production De Wildernis and now serves as the soprano and orchestra manager for The London Film Music Orchestra, continuing to challenge herself musically.

Julie Hasfjord

Julie Hasfjord is a versatile Norwegian singer, performing across classical, pop, folk, and electronic genres. She enjoys collaborating on new music and artwork and has appeared at festivals such as Opera Forward, SNAAR, Olavsfest, and K&M Fest. Julie was part of NKK NXT, which led to the creation of IMMIX Vocal Ensemble and their critically acclaimed performance, BLOOM. IMMIX has performed at several festivals, including Boulevard, and collaborated with the Netherlands Chamber Choir and Wende Snijders on her show De Wildernis.

In addition to her work with IMMIX, Julie sings with professional vocal ensembles, including The Netherlands Chamber Choir, Trondheim Vocal Ensemble and Nidaros Vokal. She also formed the vocal trio Bitter Blossoms, together with Viktoria Nikolova and Phoebe Kirrage, which recently released its first single and EP. Julie holds a master’s degree from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, and a bachelor degree from the University of Stavanger, Norway.

Leah Plave

Leah Plave extends herself beyond the traditional role of a cellist, performing not only classical repertoire but electronic, improvisational, non-western, and historical music. An outspoken advocate for inclusive programming and undiscovered voices, she often collaborates with living composers and enjoys interdisciplinary, cross-cultural projects. By the age of 24, she was a four-time immigrant having lived and toured extensively across North America, China, and Europe.

Based in The Netherlands since 2020, Leah is a member of many chamber ensembles, performing in spaces ranging from posh concert halls to sticky bars and candle lit living rooms. In collaboration with Tiziano Teodori, demand for their genre- bending cello and electronics repertoire is high at festivals and concert venues across Europe. In addition, Leah’s extensive experience as a chamber musician has included performances with ensembles such as London Film Orchestra, Ensemble Nova Sonantia, Z4 Piano Quartet, Lincoln Center Stage piano quintet, Vratsa Symphony Orchestra (BG), Theresia Orchestra (IT), Jeune Orchestre Rameau (FR), and Vermont Symphony Orchestra (USA).

On 6 September, After Hours kicks off big with LOOS, an innovative performers' lab that uses both conventional instruments and state-of-the-art technology

Using sound art as a starting point, LOOS founder and director Dr. Peter van Bergen put together a programme bringing together established makers, young talent and pioneers from the past. With performances by Gilius van Bergeijk, Huib Emmer, and Baidar Al-Basri, among others, installations by Johan van Kreij and Emi Martin, a film by Isabella and Sarah Wentink, and finally a crossover with hip-hop: "QUARTET II invites PINK OCULUS". And all this between sculptures by Sarah Lucas, Steve McQueen and Ai Weiwei, among others, from the exhibition If not now, when?

Museum Beelden aan Zee brings a breath of fresh air to the new cultural season with After Hours, which kicks off on Friday 6 September. This innovative evening programme introduces sculpture to new audiences by partnering with organisations from different art disciplines in The Hague. The new programming, made possible by the Friends Lottery, serves as a catalyst for up-and-coming talent from The Hague.

Different senses will be stimulated, including sound art, theatre, foodscapes, modern dance, R&B and light art among the sculptures. The first three nights of After Hours will be provided by: LOOS (6 September), Orisun Studio (4 October) and The Grey Space in the Middle (1 November).

evening program

Installations

Performances

Spatiofoon - Sound Art Objects by Johan van Kreij

The sound installation Spatiofoon is created from a network of small electronic objects that produce sounding patterns and thus articulate spatial properties in a musical sense. Spatiofoon is inspired by the ideofoon series created by Dick Raaijmakers.

“Victor Wentink: Life” - A research on our father’s work by Sarah & Isabella Wentink

In 2023 we started researching the various works of our father: avant-garde artist, composer, philosopher, writer, poet, engineer and inventor of the first social network in the world Victor Wentink. We wanted to research the social implications and crucial intersections of his work that cross boundaries and illuminate new ways of seeing technology/society.

As a philosopher & engineer we adhere to our father’s vision of ARTEC, the idea that an integral relationship has always existed between art and technology. This is what we tried to decipher in our documentary: how, from an ontological perspective, his work illuminates new horizons of understanding, new compositions and technology which help us grasp the complexity of our daily digital lives. How can we make sense, from a philosophical position, of his vast work that is at the brink of a new age of social networks. Not from a commercial perspective, but from an existential one that helps us take back, politically, our rights and humanity online. His work is both existential, artistic but foremost political.

for siblings (tempered) by Lucie Nezri (composer, piano) and Nirantar Yukthumba (zither)

for siblings (tempered) is a piece for piano and/or plucked string instruments. for siblings (tempered) is the first result of a long-term research revolving around Maghrebin-Andalusian classical music. One aim of this research was to loosely integrate tuning systems, modes, as well as melodic and rhythmic patterns of Maghrebin-Andalusian music into my compositions. Lucie’s standpoint stems from a deeply personal yet rootless and rather abstract perspective. As a result, the composition for siblings (tempered) ended up being both tied to yet distant from its original source of inspiration.

Electronic Resonances in the Accoustic Voice by Marie Guilleray

Can electronic manipulations and machines influence works for the acoustic voice?

This is what Marie shall attempt to demonstrate by presenting three short pieces of contemporary music for solo voice:

• Sequenza III by Luciano Berio (1965)

• Recitations 11 by Georges Aperghis (1977-1978)

• Analysis 78-3 by Greta Monach (1978)

Misery Beach by Huib Emmer

Misery Beach is an electronic live performance. There are two groups of speakers in the hall, from group 1 you mainly hear pulses and beats, from group 2 strange thin sounds with surrealistic objects.

During the performance, these elements are confronted with each other and all kinds of connections arise. The whole thing is sometimes reminiscent of Yves Tanguy's paintings.

ELEMENTS (2024) by Gilius van Bergeijk, performed by Reinier van Houdt, Gilius van Bergeijk

(4 parts: EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AIR, merge without interruption).

The four elements earth, water, fire and air were first formulated by the Greek philosopher Empedocles formulated as the basis for all existing substances. Today, they are mainly known through the work of medieval alchemists. But they also have symbolic significance: earth and fire are used in funeral rites while water and air are the main conditions for life. Life and Death, in other words.

‘QUARTET II invites PINK OCULUS’

with Pink Oculus (voice, compositions), Ike van Bergen (keys, grand piano), Aditya Sardjono (electric bass), Nadesh Ligthart (drums), Peter van Bergen (horns, electronics) Hip-Hop, R&B and Jazz concert with performances of works by Pink Oculus from her albums Delicious and Before Wisdom. Pink Oculus' music has been called “Uncompromising” and “Raw stuff of the highest artistic value” by music magazine OOR. Comparably, the music of LOOS has been described in the international press. This concert combines the outspoken compositions of Dutch singer-songwriter, rapper, producer and actress Pink Oculus with solo contributions, arrangements and interludes by a specially assembled quartet with different musical backgrounds, from hip-hop, R&B, funk, (free) jazz and contemporary classical. QUARTET II is a new 2024 project by Ike and Peter van Bergen following QUARTET I with Wilbert de Joode and Giacomo Camiletti with compositions by Andrew Hill, Pete LaRoca and Carla Bley.

with Tiziano Teodori (Viktoria Nikolova video recording)

with Tiziano Teodori (Viktoria Nikolova video recording)