Varoujan Chetirian (1996) is a Swiss-Armenian musician and sound artist, currently based in Berlin. In addition to his work as a musician and electronic music producer, he develops unconventional ways of apprehending sound: installations, collages, sonic fictions. His research is nourished by multiple interdisciplinary collaborations.
⩥ CV
selected works and exhibitions
2023 Fiber Optics – Multichannel installation, transducers on glass. Installed at the Akademie der Kuenste Berlin.
2023 HyperTram– Walking Sonic Fiction, 1h with wireless headphones. Text and music in collaboration with Emmanuelle Destremau. Comission by HyperOuest Festival, Lausanne [CH]. Performed from 27.04 to 7.05.
-> festival page
2023 Je suis un Cerf – Soundwalk, 1h15 with wireless headphones. With text written by Emmanuelle Destremau and performances by Rudi van der Merwe and Tamara Bacci. Comission by Antigel Festival, 08 and 09 February 2023.
-> festival page
2023 XO-K2-315– Release on Al Darrax Records.
-> bandcamp
2022 Tell us where you are listening from
Radiophonic creation, with KMRU (Joseph Kamaru [KE], Zach Hart [US] and Mariana Carvalho [BRE]. Archived on cashmere radio, Berlin and nominated for best short radiophonic creation prize Max15 from German, Austrian and Swiss radio.
-> radio show
-> nomination
2022 Tchan-Zaca
Collective exhibition, Mapping Festival, Geneva
-> event
2021 Hauptbahnhof Heterotopia – audiovisual work. A insight in invisible perceptual layers of Berlin’s trainstation. In collaboration with Dasha Redkina.
-> video
2021 Public windows
Installation in public space using windows as sound diffusors. In collaboration with sound artist Mauro Zannoli [ARG]. Premiered at BAZ’ART festival, Geneva
-> video
2021 How to build a fire
Walking sonic fiction inspired by Jack London’s short story How to build a fire, for headphone and forest. Commission by Antigel Festival, Geneva
-> more info
2020 Capite
Multichannel sound installation, acousmonium composed of various recycled resonating bodies and obselete audio technologies. Collaboration with audiovisual artist Luca Kasper [CH]. Premiered at La Fonte, Geneva
2019 Sayat Nova – Alternative soundtrack for Paradjanov’s The colour of the Pomegranate. For duduk, santoor, sarangi, tambour, cymbals, guitar, voice, and electronics. Commission by Sauce Festival. Premiered at Spoutnik Festival, Geneva
-> more info
2019 AR – Composition for recorder and voice. Premiered at International Contemporary Music Festival Ars electronica Wallis, Schloss Leuk
2019 ARP Monolyth – Composition for two saxophones, bassoon, and electronics. Premiered by Container Ensemble at De Agostini Concert Hall, Geneva
2018 L’aube du soir – Composition for string ensemble: 1 double bass, 2 violoncello, 2 altos, 2 violins, 2 violas. Premiered at Agostini concert Hall by United Strings of Europe
2018 Libra – electroacoustic composition. Premiered at Fonderie Kugler, Geneva. For Archipel Festival
2017 Espaces – Composition for piano, kalimba, chain and electronics. Premiered at Archipel Festival, Geneva
2017 Aurore – Composition for guitar and electronics. Collaboration with Mathilde Court
2016 AM/FM – Composition for double bass, cello, violin, viola, clarinet, trombone and 3 radios. Premiered by Nouvel Ensemble Contemporain at Fonderie Kugler, Geneva. Recorded and broadcasted by Espace 2 radio.
2016 Boite a musique – Composition for acting comedians, deambulatory speech. Premiered at Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, MAMCO, Geneva for Archipel Festival.
2016 Windows on Death Row – Live soundtrack for mutlimedia conference. Commission by Patrick Chappatte and Anne-Frédérique Widmann. Premiered at International Film Festival on Human Rights (FIFDH), Geneva.
2014 Ararat – Composition for recorder. Premiered at Museum of natural History, Geneva
performances
2022 Rota festival, Murcia
2022 Mapping festival, Geneva
2022 Belluard Bollwerk festival, Fribourg
2022 arkaoda, Berlin
2022 Centro Negra, Blanca
2022 Ayrarat, Yereva
2021 Spoutnik, Geneva
2021 Antigel festival, Geneva
2019 Feu Au Lac, Geneva
2019 ICRC, Geneva
grants, residencies & awards
2022 Tell us where you are listening from – Nomination for best radiophonic creation prize Max15 (ARD, SWR, ORD and SFR prize)
2022 AADK – Residency: space, body, territory. Final exhibition at centro Negra, Blanca[SP] -> website
2022 ROT 54/2.6 – Field research trip in obsolete soviet telescope in Orgov [ARM], funded by Culture Moves Europe (Creative Europe). -> website
2022 YARNS – Residency at l’Atlas, Bruxelles [BE]
education
2020 - ongoing Universität der Künste Berlin, Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, (UdK, Master of Arts)
2017 - 6/2020 University of Geneva, Bachelor in Global History and Sociology, GSI
2014 - 6/2019 Conservatoire Populaire de Musique of Geneva (CPMG), Composition with Arturo Corrales
2012 - 6/2019 Association for the encouragement of improvised music (AMR), Modern Jazz theory and drum
2012 - 6/2017 School of contemporary music (ETM), Geneva, Certificate in computer music
2011 - 6/2019 Conservatoire Populaire de Musique de Genève, Jazz drums, with distinction.