{"id":1988,"date":"2018-11-02T14:12:30","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T14:12:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/?page_id=1988"},"modified":"2025-08-19T13:32:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:32:18","slug":"saxophone","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/?page_id=1988","title":{"rendered":"Saxophone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

As a saxophonist, Mejer concentrated himself on the contrabass-saxophone and on playing in \u201aBass\u2019-Ensembles like KONTRA-Trio<\/a> (a Trio for ultra low wind instruments), TwoTubax<\/a> (a Duo with Peter A. Schmid), Nashi Dela<\/a> (contemporary Russian ‚Songs‘), Masul<\/a> (a Duo with Paul Giallorenzo) and the Chicago based wind ensembles 774th Street Quartet<\/a> and Keefe Jackson\u2019s Likely So<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As an Improviser he played with Martin Sch\u00fctz, Fredy Studer, Michael Zerang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Keefe Jackson and many more.<\/p>\n

Besides appearing as soloist, he is involved in several projects which include other forms of art like paintings, poetry, film, dance.<\/p>\n

KONTRA-Trio<\/strong> \u00a0 www.kontra-trio.ch<\/a>
\nMadeleine Bischof (contrabass-flute), <\/em>Thomas K.J. Mejer (contrabass-saxophone), <\/em>Leo Bachmann (tuba)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The KONTRA-Trio<\/strong>, founded 1992, concentrates on low wind instruments and „deep“ music. The contrabass-flute, contrabass-saxophone and tuba are used as sources for acoustic phenomenons from primeval to ‚high-tech‘ sounds, from very low registers to astonishing heights.<\/p>\n

Besides creating programs with their own compositions, the KONTRA-Trio works together with composers from all over the world such as Alvin Lucier, Phill Niblock, Frank Denyer, Hae-Kyung Choi (see repertory<\/a>). Important are also projects with other ensembles or forms of art like poetry, dance, and performance art. All programs are slightly out of the mainstream of contemporary music.<\/p>\n

In 2000, the KONTRA-Trio has been invited to play at the \u201cTrance and Drones\u201d festival in Freiburg (Germany) to the New Music Festival \u201cMusic factory\u201d in Bergen (Norway) and the \u201c100. Schweizerisches Tonk\u00fcnstlerfest\u201d in Engadin (Switzerland). In 2001, the trio performed the program \u201cResonances\u201d in England (Dartington, Bristol und London) as well as \u201cDifferent Drones\u201d in Bali (Indonesia). Within the \u201csoundways\u201d Festival in St. Petersburg, the trio gave many first performances of Swiss and International composers. Besides workshops and masterclasses at the conservatory in St. Petersburg and Moscow and a concert at DOM in Moscow, the collaboration and concerts with two theremin player (Kavina, Aksenova) and the Swiss experimental pop group \u201clas halmas\u201d marked the highlights of this Russian tour. In 2003, the KONTRA-Trio toured in Latvia and appeared at the festival \u201cSaxophonia\u201d in Riga.<\/p>\n

The evening length sound installation \u201eJeux Circulaires\u201c by Leo Bachmann for the Trio and 8 loudspeakers as well as \u201eHimmlische Tinkturen\u201c by Madeleine Bischof for KONTRA-Trio and 49 flute players have been performed several times in Switzerland.<\/p>\n

In 2013, the KONTRA-Trio joined forces with Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble MCME in the program\u00a0 \u201eStravinskij Revisited\u201c, including first performances of compositions by Vladimir Gorlinskij, Katharina Rosenberger, Vladimir Rannev, Roland Moser and Thomas K. J. Mejer with concerts in Moscow, Perm, St. Petersburg, Z\u00fcrich, Luzern, Boswil and Basel.<\/p>\n

In 2017, the Trio appeared at the Festival\u00a0Two Days And Two Nights Of New Music\u00a0<\/em>in Odessa as well as at the Festival of Electronic Music\u00a0VOX ELECTRONICA<\/em>\u00a0in Lemberg.<\/p>\n

They recorded some works written for the Ensemble by prestigious composers such as Phill Niblock, Alvin Lucier or Frank Denyer.<\/p>\n

Discographie KONTRA-Trio<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeux Circulaires<\/strong>, betweenthelines BTLCHR71226\u00a92010; composition and sound-installation by Leo Bachmann<\/p>\n

vulnerable spaces<\/strong>, earup CD 1009 \u00a92007; works by Alvin Lucier; Hae Kyung Choi; Hans-Joachim Hespos; Thomas K.J. Mejer<\/p>\n

Disseminate<\/strong>\u00a0{Phill Niblock}, mode records new york,\u00a0 mode 131\u00a0 \u00a92004; 3 compositions by Phill Niblock incl. „Kontradictionaries“ (written for the KONTRA-Trio)<\/p>\n

Fired City<\/strong> {Frank Denyer}\u00a0 TZADIK Records TZ 7082\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a92002; 6 compositions by Frank Denyer incl. \u201eResonances of Ancient Sins\u201c (written for the KONTRA-Trio)<\/p>\n

diligent places<\/strong> stv\/asm 005 \/ earup 1005\u00a0 \u00a91999; with works by Thomas K.J. Mejer and Leo Bachmann<\/p>\n

Compositions for Contrabass-Saxophone<\/strong> Thomas K.J. Mejer earup CD 1003\u00a0 \u00a91996, 10 compositions incl. \u201eResonances of Ancient Sins\u201c by Frank Denyer (written for the KONTRA-Trio)<\/p>\n

Presse KONTRA-Trio<\/strong><\/p>\n

…der Name Strawinsky und seine \u201eHistoire\u201c stehen f\u00fcr eine Moderne abseits jeder Dogmatik…
\nThomas Mejers Suite setzte….. das Thema am handgreiflichsten um, mit Bez\u00fcgen zur insistierenden Rhythmik wie zur individuellen Klanglichkeit der \u201eHistoire\u201c.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pirmin Bossart, Zentralschweiz am Sonntag, 27.10.2013<\/p>\n

Zusammengehalten ………. von Inspirationen durch Thomas K. J. Mejers Tanzsuite \u00abPrinces‘ Balls\u00bb.
\nDer 1970 in Moskau geborene Vladimir Rannev l\u00e4sst in seinem \u00abCold’n’Hot Dance Trio\u00bb die \u00e4therisch hohen Kl\u00e4nge von Kontrabassfl\u00f6te (Madeleine Bischof), Kontrabasssaxofon (Thomas K. J. Mejer) und Tuba (Leo Bischof) in eine ganz k\u00f6rperhafte Tiefe st\u00fcrzen, um sich dann im Raum dazwischen zu positionieren………….<\/em><\/p>\n

J\u00fcrg Huber, Neue Z\u00fcrcher Zeitung 26.10.2013<\/p>\n

Dunkle Texturen aus Tiefenwelten
\nKlangwelten, wie man sie in der aufgedrehten Schrill-Welt von heute selten h\u00f6rt. Musik die sich aus elementaren Klangkernen und ihren Schwingungen bildet, die atemhaft und k\u00f6rperlich wird.<\/em><\/p>\n

Pirmin Bossart, Luzerner Zeitung,\u00a0 03.12.2012<\/p>\n

nicht nur h\u00f6r-, sondern auch sp\u00fcrbar
\n…………..dass sich die Vibration bei den lauten, dr\u00f6hnenden Passagen im ganzen Raum bemerkbar macht: Der Klang ist nicht nur h\u00f6r-, sondern auch sp\u00fcrbar.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rebekka Meyer, Tagesanzeiger, 17.11.2012<\/p>\n

free\u2018n\u2018easy
\nTiefe Eindr\u00fccke hinterl\u00e4sst das KONTRA-Trio auf \u201eJeux Circulaires\u201c. … Es ist, als w\u00fcrde man einen dunklen Raum betreten, in dem man erst nach und nach Konturen ausmacht …<\/em><\/p>\n

Wolf Kampmann, jazzthing Februar\/M\u00e4rz 2011<\/p>\n

Tiefenwirkung
\nSie haben sich den langsamen Schallwellen verschrieben: Das Kontra-Trio erzeugt mit \u00fcbergrossen Blasinstrumenten in der Tiefe wuchernde Kl\u00e4nge. Diese erinnern einmal an das Tuten eines Dampfschiffs, ein andermal an r\u00f6hrende Riesens\u00e4ugetiere. In ihrer Erdigkeit wirken sie auf den H\u00f6rer seltsam meditativ. …<\/em><\/p>\n

Michelle Ziegler, Neue Z\u00fcrcher Zeitung, 6.1.2011<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a saxophonist, Mejer concentrated himself on the contrabass-saxophone and on playing in \u201aBass\u2019-Ensembles like KONTRA-Trio (a Trio for ultra low wind instruments), TwoTubax (a Duo with Peter A. Schmid), Nashi Dela (contemporary Russian ‚Songs‘),…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"wf_page_folders":[33],"class_list":["post-1988","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P9MDJV-w4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1988"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2627,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1988\/revisions\/2627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1988"},{"taxonomy":"wf_page_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasmejer.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwf_page_folders&post=1988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}