Alfons Karl Zwicker (born 22 April 1952) is a Swiss composer, pianist and painter.
Life
Born in St. Gallen, Zwicker began as a painter and designer. He created several paintings, which were exhibited between 1973 and 1980. Zwicker then studied piano from 1976 to 1981 with Hadassa Schwimmer at Zurich University of the Arts and from 1983 to 1987 with Werner Bärtschi in Zurich. From 1984 to 1988 he studied musical composition with Rudolf Kelterborn at the City of Basel Music Academy.
Afterwards he first appeared as a Neue Musik interpreter and was active as a song accompanist. In 1987 he founded the International Society for Contemporary Music music podium Contrapunkt in St. Gallen to promote contemporary music. He conducted this concert series until 1993.
From 1990 he was active as a composer and in 1993 he attended a master class in Lucerne with the Russian composer Edison Denisov. He then became a member of the composer group Groupe Lacroix in 2000. With them he realized a music project for Paul Klee. In the context of the project he composed for the the work «Unter dem Grabhügel» ("Under the Grave Mound") for saxophone and orchestra, which was performed with the soloist Vincent Daoud (saxophone) under the direction of Otto Tausk was premiered on 20 February 2015 in the Tonhalle St. Gallen.
He completed a postgraduate course in Arts Management at the University of Basel in 2002 with a Master of Advanced Studies.
Awards
1989: Kulturförderungspreis der Stadt St. Gallen (for contribution to the music podium Contrapunkt) 1991: Internationaler Bodenseekulturförderungspreis (for compositional work) 1993: Werkbeitrag des Kantonalen Amts für Kulturpflege St. Gallen (for project Afrikanische Notizen) 1994: Werkbeitrag der Stiftung Pro Helvetia (for the Orchestra-cyclus Vom Klang der Bilder) 1997: Werkbeitrag der Stiftung Pro Arte (for the Opera Die Höllenmaschine) 2003: Kompositionsbeitrag Stiftung Pro Helvetia (for the Opera Der Tod und das Mädchen) 2004: Förderbeitrag der (for the Opera Der Tod und das Mädchen) 2007: Werkbeitrag der Stadt St. Gallen (for Ein weltliches Requiem) 2012: – endowed with CHF 20,000 (for experimental music theatre and impressive stage productions)
Werk
Stage music
Operas
Die Höllenmaschine. Opera in four acts after Jean Cocteau. premiere 1998 Theater St. Gallen Eine Scheidelinie wird weiter herausgezogen. Oper in einem Akt nach der szenischen Dichtung von Nelly Sachs. (Premiere) 2001 Theater St. Gallen Der Tod und das Mädchen. Opera in six scenes. Libretto: Daniel Fuchs after Ariel Dorfman's eponymous dramas. Premiere 4 December 2010 Festspielhaus Hellerau
Stage/acting music
Nachtduett (1989-1990). Cycle with poems by Georg Trakl for mezzo-soprano, bass, flute, harpsichord, 4 violins, viola, violoncello and double bass.
Vocal music
Erfrorene Träume (1990–1992). Cycle after poems by Josef Kopf for mezzo-soprano and ensemble Pilgerfahrt zu blauen Eisziegeln (1990–1993) for baritone and piano. Text: Josef Kopf Tropfen auf Stein (1995). cycle after poems by Elisabeth Heck for baritone, flute, harp, piano, percussion and viola Die Welt braust (1996) for baritone solo after a letter from August Stramm Konstellation mit Mondtransit (1998–1999) for soprano, violin, trombone, violoncello, clarinet and piano Erinnerung an Nelly Sachs (1999) for 2 flutes, cembalo and female voice Empathie (2001–2002) for soprano, violoncello and tape. Text: Else Lasker-Schüler Landschaft aus Schreien (2003) for mezzo-soprano and piano. Text: Nelly Sachs Mirlitonnades (2007) for mezzo-soprano and 6 instruments. Text: Samuel Beckett Dem heiligsten Stern über mir (2009) for alto and piano
Instrumental music
Orchestral music
Begegnung mit dem Eis (1992–1993) for medium orchestra
Vom Klang der Bilder (1987–1996). Cycle for large orchestra and piano solo
Sprachklang (2004) für solistisches Streichorchester
L’été symétrique (Le jardin sous les eaux, part 2) (2009–2010) for large orchestra