The duo was founded in 2000. Since 2003 they work exclusively and collectively on their own compositions. In their pieces the two clarinets melt into one sound, which sometimes sounds like more than two instruments through the delicate use of multiphonics and difference tones. While earlier pieces worked a lot with sustained notes their newer pieces are going more deeply into the details of each phrase and utilize more advanced forms. The music has a subtle and even tempered feel. Even though the music is often associated with electronic music, it is played and presented purely acoustically.
Their 2nd album Less Action, Less Excitement, Less Everything was released in spring 2010 on the Japanese label Ftarri. The duo played yet among others at Donaueschinger Musiktage (D 2007), Konfrontationen (Nickelsdorf 2008), Seattle Improvised Music Festival (2009), Experimental Intermedia (New York 2009), Maerzmusik (Berlin 2009) and Exposition New Music (Brno 2009).
„Masters of tonality, in their 2nd release the dual clarinets of Kai Fagaschinski and Michael Thieke are heard without any guest musicians, making a rich, gorgeous album of tense timbres.“
Kai Fagaschinski
The Berlin-based clarinettist and composer/performer focuses on a subtle musicality of sound and noise phenomena. His music is rooted in abstractness, including increasingly an insidious expressivity and a pre-melodic quality. He works on the borderline of composition and improvisation, with a preference for long-term collaborations.
His current projects are Los Glissandinos with Klaus Filip (CD: stand clear, Creative Sources 2005), The International Nothing - clarinet duo with Michael Thieke (CD: mainstream, ftarri 2006), The Magic I.D. - song project with Christof Kurzmann, Michael Thieke & Margareth Kammerer (CD/LP: till your breath gives out, Erstwhile 2008), here comes the sun with Gunter Schneider & Barbara Romen, Kommando Raumschiff Zitrone with Christof Kurzmann (CD: first time ever i saw your face, Quincunx 2006), duo with Burkhard Stangl (CD: Musik - Ein Porträt in Sehnsucht, Erstwhile 2009), Duo with Chris Abrahams (piano), duo with George Cremashi (doublebass), etc.
Michael Thieke
Michael Thieke is currently involved in a number of projects which focus on diverse and contrasting facets of his musical interest. They reach from outer jazz areas, free jazz, totally composed material to projects with the concentration on the silent noises and sounds.
Some of his current Projects are: Michael Thieke Unununium (with Luca Venitucci acc/p, Eric Schaefer dr, Derek Shirley b, CD: where shall i fly not to be sad, my dear?, charhizma/2006, also extended version adding Martin Siewert git, Christian Weber db, Steve Heather dr), The International Nothing - clarinet duo with Kai Fagaschinski (CD: mainstream, ftarri 2006), The Magic I.D. - song project with Christof Kurzmann, Kai Fagaschinski & Margareth Kammerer (CD/LP: till your breath gives out, Erstwhile 2008), Hotelgäste (with Derek Shirley b, Dave Bennett g, CD: flowers you can eat, schraum/2005), Nickendes Perlgras (with Michael Anderson tp, Eric Schaefer dr, CD: Die hintere Vase, Jazzhausmusik/2000 and meat hat, konnex/2005), TGW (with Christian Weber b, Michael Griener dr, CD: -- ayler records/2007).
Media partner of the concert is Radio 1 (www.radio1.cz)
