On February 7, 2025, Argentinian experimental musician Alan Courtis will play a solo show at bar “Aleponija” (Ernesta Birznieka-Upīša street 22) in Riga, Latvia. The concert starts at 21:00, and tickets can be purchased at the entrance, ticket price will be 7 EUR. The show is organized by Skaņu Mežs’ concert series 1-2 cauri! and the sound art project tekhnē, co-funded by the EU and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
Alan Courtis
Alan Courtis (aka Anla Courtis) was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1972. He has been working in the field of sound-art, electro-acoustic music, drone, noise, improvisation and composition. A founding member of the legendary band Reynols, he’s also part of the French group L’Autopsie a révélé que la mort était due à l’Autopsie. His written music has been played by ensembles from England, Thailand, Switzerland, Wales, Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, United States, Spain and South America. He was commissioned by Phoenix Basel Ensemble (Switzerland), Český Rozhlas (Czech Republic) and was artist in residence at EMS (Stockholm), GRM (Paris), Cafe Oto (London), USF (Bergen),etc.
He has more than 500 solo releases and collaborations on labels like: Mego, P.S.F., Pogus, SubRosa, RRR, Ini.Itu, Glistening Examples, Moving Furniture, Firework Edition, Spleencoffin, Stellage, Ferns, Fabrica, Blossoming Noise, No-Fi, Antifrost, Om, Tonschacht, Ikuisuus, Alt.Vinyl, etc.
Courtis has toured extensively in Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Europe, USA, Australia, NZ & Latin America and has collaborated with musicians like: Pauline Oliveros, Phill Niblock, Keiji Haino, Merzbow, Lee Ranaldo, David Toop, Nihilist Spasm Band, Jim O’Rourke, Yoshimi, BJ Nilsen, Otomo Yoshihide, David Grubbs, Loren Connors, Stilluppsteypa. RLW, Zbigniew Karkowski, Eddie Prevost, L.A.F.M.S., Makoto Kawabata and many others.
His music always has strong experimental sense and usually based on high-skilled techniques of prepared sound, tape manipulations, processing of field recordings, live electronics, objects, cymbals, synthesizers, computer tools, playing traditional (both acoustic and electric) instruments as well as self-built, strange and unusual instruments (eg. unstringed guitar).
Courtis has made music for films/videos by Jaime Davidovich, Azucena Lozano, Claudio Caldini, Greg Pope, Hang Jun Lee, Sergio Subero, Pablo Mazzollo, Guillermo Ueno, etc.
His work has been also exhibited at Cococara Arts & Space (Tokyo), Uplink Gallery (Tokyo), Atrium Gallery/Center for New Music (San Francisco), Gallery MAMU (Budapest), None Gallery (Dunedin), BienalSur (Bogotá), Espacio Subte (Montevideo), in Spain at Museo Reina Sofía, ARCOmadrid and Cruce.
He has coordinated music workshops in numerous countries, including Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England and Japan.
Expanded listening and aural recording workshop
On February 6 and 7, Courtis will conduct an expanded listening and aural recording workshop for people with mental disabilities. It will happen at cultural space Smilga (Eduarda Smiļģa street 34A) and is being organized in collaboration with Latvian Autism Association.
This participatory workshop is firstly based on the Deep Listening techniques developed by acclaimed American composer Pauline Oliveros. However, it is also based on Courtis’ own approach and experience with these subjects: in fact, for many years, he was a friend and active collaborator with Oliveros, as well as translator of several of her texts into Spanish. On this occasion the activities are also augmented by an introduction to the practice of something new: Aural Recording.
To join the workshop, please get in touch by writing to simonakaupuza@gmail.com
