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. 








current

⩥ Chroniques Urbaines Soundwalks, trilogy. Collaboration with writers E. Destremau, A. Jacoud and O. Csiky Trnka @Antigel Festival
[CH] 03-16-17-18.02.24


Horizon Vert Soundwalk, with Fabrice Melquiot (text) and CFPNE Lullier @Antigel Festival
[CH] 09-10.02.24


⩥ Exhibition @Byurakan Bakery [AM] 12.10.23

⩥ Research trip residency @Byurakan [AM] sept-oct 23

fiber optics colletive exhibition @Akademie der Küste, Berlin [DE]
⩥ sound installation for Severin Guelpa’s exhibition Tremblement @Les Halles, Porrentruy [CH] 23.04 - 25.06

walking sonic fiction @HyperOuest Festival, Lausanne [CH] 27.04-07.05

soundwalk / performance @ANTIGEL festival, Geneva [CH] 8-9.02

⩥ workshop @ l’Abri with On Land Collective, Geneva [CH] / 14-16.12
⩥ residency and performance, ROTA festival (AADK)
Murcia [SP] /06.12-13.12


⩥ exhibition, Mapping festival
Geneva [CH] /3-13.11

⩥ nomination ARD german radiophonic creation prize
ZKM Karlsruhe [DE] /12.11


⩥ performance @Arkaoda
Berlin [DE] /22.10

⩥ creative radio performance, Cashmere radio
Berlin [DE] / 22.07

⩥ performance, Belluard Bollwerk
Fribourg [CH] /28.06

⩥ residency, Atlas
Brussel [BEL] /26.05-6.06


⩥ residency and performance, AADK
Blanca [SP] /07.03-06.04


⩥ residency, Paris Herouni telescope
Orgov [ARM] /29.01-28.02