"Music is never pure - it is attitude, it is theatre." (Luciano Berio)

Credo

In the colloquium, current trends in collaborative music theatre production were presented and concretised using the example of own works with, among others, the Berlin music theatre formation "schindelkilliusdutschke", with students from the University of Kassel (project.worx) and, since 2017, with students from the University of Oldenburg.

In this context, the following credo regarding open working methods in (music) theatre seems relevant:

I love open spaces that are only gradually filled in the course of a joint creative process. This offers the opportunity to absorb a great deal of the individual personality and above all the specific dynamics of the respective group, which gradually becomes a team. The planned result is therefore not fixed at the beginning and you are embarking on a joint journey with an uncertain outcome. For me, this is also an essential interface between open-ended project work and trends in collective development processes in current theatre and music theatre creation.

Born in Darmstadt in 1971; completed his Abitur and did his community service there.

Studied school music and obtained a diploma in music education (piano) at the Berlin University of the Arts, and philosophy at Humboldt University in Berlin.

Studied physical theatre in London, and attended various further training courses and workshops on music and theatre

2002–12: worked as a freelancer in musical theatre and theatre music (including at the Staatstheater Cottbus, the Berliner Ensemble, the Maxim Gorki Theatre and Radialsystem V), experimental music (‘Ensemble Zwischentöne’ and as a regular guest with the ensemble ‘Die Maulwerker’) and music education (including several appearances at the Konzerthaus Berlin as part of ‘Open your Ears’)

2005–12: Primarily with the Berlin music theatre group “schindelkilliusdutschke”, developing original works in music theatre and musical performance, as well as in other independent productions in Berlin at the Neuköllner Oper, the Konzerthaus, the Sophiensaele, the HAU and the fabrik Potsdam, FFT Düsseldorf, Schauspiel Köln, as well as in other European countries and in Israel

In the field of education, experience included working as a music lecturer at the ‘berliner schule für schauspiel’ (2003–07) and as a theatre and music lecturer at the IAM e.V. school music weeks in Eschwege (2005–09)

From 2011–17, lecturer in scenic-musical project work at the University of Kassel (www.projectworx.org) and, from 2013–17, research assistant in music education at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main

Since September 2017, artistic staff member specialising in ‘Music, Performance, Theatre’ at the Institute of Music at the University of Oldenburg

www.volkerschindel.de