SIMON
BERZ

TECTONIC & SEDIMENT
relating to the structure of the surface of the earth and the way it is formed, changed, and moved by forces inside it:
Listening to Earth's history, played on millions of years old flagstones - that was mystical and hypnotic at the same time. Simon Berz invited those present to a time and sound journey, eliciting enchanting songs from the hard material and proving that the entire universe resonates.
ArtNoir

sediment solo Peijing 2016
Jiali Gallery Beijing

from Andi Hofmann

Simon Berz - DROP ROCK POWER from king of trash on Vimeo.

When Swiss drummer and sound artist Simon Berz rode his bike across a field of stone in the French Alps, he was immediately taken by the sounds the stones produced. He took some of them home to create a lithophon, which he then amplified and manipulated with electronic effects. As he scratches and strokes them or uses different sticks and materials to hit them percussively, he creates a dense and unique performance.

In Japan, China, Europe, and the USA, he presents the lithophone in different contexts. In one-on-one collaborations with Swiss violinist Bettina Boller, Japanese trumpet player Kondo Toshinori, and New Orleans drummer Johnny Vidacovich, he seeks transdisciplinary reflection, and interaction between time, music, tradition, innovation, improvisation, geology, and electronics.

In an interview, he talks about the motivation of his work.

RADIOSHOW about SEDIMENT
CoLaboRadio; Berlin

Simon Berz making a new stone collection for SEDIMENT instrument. from Simon Berz on Vimeo.

ERRARE
OPEN AIR RECORDING; Menzingen Switzerland

Alphorn: Roland Dahinden
Sounddesigne: Andrew Phillips
Lithophon / EFX: Simon Berz

LITHOPHON installation 2009
rocks from the french alps, infusion bags

For installation purposes, he lets water drop from infusion bags in various speeds, creating a complex and meditative sound piece.