Derek Holzer

[US/DE]

Derek Holzer is an American instrument builder and sound artist based in Berlin, whose current interests include DIY analogue electronics, field recording, media archaeology and the meeting points of electroacoustic, noise, improv and extreme music.

Since 2002, Holzer has given almost 200 experimental sound performances, created scores of unique instruments and installations, and taught over 130 workshops in sound art, basic electronics, field recording, and pure data programming across Europe, North and South America, and New Zealand. One of his many notable projects is "Tonewheels," an experiment in converting graphical imagery to sound, in which transparent tonewheels with repeating patterns are spun over light-sensitive electronic circuitry to produce sound and light pulsations and textures. Inspired by some of the pioneering 20th century electronic music inventions and developed in residencies at Tesla in Berlin DE and STEIM in Amsterdam, the all-analogue set is performed live without the use of computers (using only overhead projectors as light source, performance interface, and audience display), and aims to open up the 'black box' of electronic music and video by exposing the working processes of the performance for the audience to see.

Holzer's recorded work has been released via the Nexsound, Mandorla, Sirr, and/OAR, and Gruenrekorder labels, and he has co-initiated several internet projects for field recording and collaborative soundscapes including Soundtransit.nl.  In 2014 he was awarded a working grant from the Foundation of Lower Saxony at the Edith-Russ-Haus for Media Art in Oldenburg, Germany.

Holzer returns to CTM Festival following his presentation of "Probing the Past: A Media Archaeology of Handmade Electronic Sound" at the MusicMaker's Hacklab in 2014.

MusicMakers Hacklab Conversations

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Wed 29.01.2014, 12:00

Talks & presentations with Native Instruments / Florian Grote and Florian Schneidmadel, Robert Henke, Marije Baalman / Thomas Spier, Derek Holzer

Opening of the CTM.13 MusicMakers Hacklab - Indeterminism Machines

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Fri 25.01.2013, 19:00

Ongoing workshops, plus presentations by Science Fiction Children „Robotic MR-808“

MusicMakers Hacklab – Day 1: Kickstart

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Mon 28.01.2013, 12:00

Ongoing workshops, plus presentations by Peter Kirn and Moritz Haas.

MusicMakers Hacklab – Day 2: Inside Technology And Process

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Tue 29.01.2013, 11:00

Ongoing workshops, plus presentations by Imogen Heap, Native Instruments and Ableton.

MusicMakers Hacklab – Day 3: One Medium To Another

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Wed 30.01.2013, 12:00

Ongoing workshops, plus presentations by Ali Demirel and Lucas Abela.

MusicMakers Hacklab – Day 4: Generative Constructions

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Thu 31.01.2013, 12:00

Ongoing workshops, plus talk with Mark Fell and presentation by Keith Fullerton Whitman.

 

MusicMakers Hacklab – Day 5: Going Live

Kunstquartier Projektraum, Fri 01.02.2013, 12:00

Ongoing workshops, plus presentations by Tim Exile, Demdike Stare and Hacklab.

MusicMakers Showcase

Berghain Kantine, Fri 01.02.2013, 20:00

Performances, live jams and Djing by Solar Year, Tarrik Barri, Machinedrum, Kode9, Lando Kal, Tim Exile, Sam Barker, Eatson West, Laurel Halo, Chmmr, Benjamin Weiss, and more