Archipel Festival: Music and sound art

12h30 – Salon d'écoute / listening session
Juliet Fraser
Every day at 12:30 PM, a visiting artist invites us to explore the music that has shaped their journey, through meaningful encounters and unexpected discoveries. For Juliet Fraser, the voice is a whole, its expression both simple and sensitive. It is a delight to hear her present works that she particularly cherishes—pieces that have played a key role in her journey to becoming the leading artist she is today.
Free entry
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13h – Grande salle / meeting and discussion
Daniel Glaus, Simone Keller, Margrit Schenker : Winddynamische Orgel ‑ Orgue prototype II de la HKB
The experimental organ built by the Bern University of the Arts has several distinctive features. The most notable is its dynamic airflow system, which allows the volume of each note to be modulated. The composer and organist has created a new piece based on the instrument, exploring the sonic continuum and the ebb and flow of sound. The title of the piece is the name of the instrument, Winddynamisch – literally "wind dynamic" – referring to the variation in volume and intensity.
Présentation du projet sur le site de la HKB
Free entry
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14h – Salon d'écoute / concert, acousmonium, families
66 enfants et un bestiaire
Last year, three classes of primary schoolchildren from Geneva participated in a discovery workshop led by Alain Berset and Laura Tirandaz, as part of Archipel’s Atelier radio pour les grandes oreilles (Radio workshop for big ears). Inspired by Jean Giono’s Bestiaire, the children created their own hybrid animals: creatures of water, earth, air, or fire. They also wandered through the Maison communale de Plainpalais, recording sounds from their surroundings. What do these fantastic creatures sound like? What are their dreams, names, and abilities? 66 Children and a Bestiary is an original sound creation that intertwines the children’s voices with everything that shaped the week’s activities – filled with chimeras, melodies, and mysterious rustlings.
Free entry
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15h – Salon d'écoute / concert, acousmonium
Concert électroacoustique #2 : Natasha Barrett, Stefan Fraunberger
It has become a tradition: every year, Archipel dedicates two concerts to works that have shaped the history of recorded music, whether by key figures or lesser-known artists. The selection, made in collaboration with the Salon d’écoute team, gives us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in this unique musical genre that prioritizes the ear over the eye.
Free entry
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15h– Salle de jeux / concert, familles
Majuscule #4 : Entre espace et temps
Étudiant·x·es composer-performer de la HEM
Five young composers, five new creations: works blending musical theater, performance, and contemporary music. This project was designed specifically for the salle de jeux and its Majuscule series, offering audiences of all ages a chance to experience the music of today, created by a new generation of artists.
Free entry
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16h30– Salle de jeux / families
Minuscule #5 : Compagnie Bis : Allumettes
Allumettes is an exploration of the multisensory perception of sound and music designed for children aged 0-4. Listening is not limited to the auditory sense alone, and the compagnie Bis guides the children on a poetic journey of discovery and exploration. This project offers everyone the opportunity to immerse themselves in a collective experience.
Free of charge on reservation
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17h– Grande salle / concert
Inger Hannisdal, Karen Keyrouz : concert dessiné
Inger Hannisdal is a fan of folk music, obscure musical traditions, and sound experimentation. She is equally at home with a Scandinavian lullaby as she is with a Palestinian mâqam or a Persian tune. In her compositions, she blends the timbres of traditional music with contemporary impulses, shifting between composed and improvised structures. Lebanese artist Karen Keyrouz accompanies her with mesmerizing, poetic drawings. Projected onto a large screen, the lines slowly unfold, forming shapes that are sometimes figurative. The eye is suspended, attentive to every delicate nuance, amplified by the enlargement.


5.- / 10.- / 20.- / Choose your price
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19h– Grande salle / concert
Juliet Fraser, Monica Gil Giraldo : Still and Moving Lines
Juliet Fraser tirelessly explores the human voice as a sensitive and poetic vessel for spoken expression. She sensitively weaves connections between four works, two of which were written for her. Pascale Criton employs microtonality and a ring connected to the singer, creating music that swirls. Newton Armstrong creates a sonic space out of long durations and sustained notes. Pauline Oliveros explores what emerges from a listening situation, while Alvin Lucier orchestrates a meeting between the voice and an oscillator. All of these unique performances make up the grand finale of Archipel 2025!
5.- / 10.- / 20.- / Choose your price