{{Short description|Swiss composer (born 1986)}} thumb|Silvan Loher, Swiss composer '''Silvan Loher''' is a Swiss art music composer, known for his vocal, chamber, and orchestral compositions, which have been recurrently aired on Swiss, British, Italian and European public radio,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=CH – Musik - Lieder von Silvan Loher|url=https://www.srf.ch/static/radio/modules/data/attachments/2017/170615_Lieder_von_Silvan_Loher.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Dec 10, 2020|website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Voces Suaves and Cafebaum|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00048c5|access-date=2020-11-14|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=dedalo ensemble - Esito della VII edizione del Concorso "... a Camillo Togni"|url=http://dedaloensemble.it/en/competition/camillo-togni/418-esito-della-vii-edizione-del-concorso-internazionale-di-composizione-q-a-camillo-togniq.html|access-date=2020-11-15|website=dedaloensemble.it}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=17 November 2019|url=https://www.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/notturno-playlists/2019/11/17%20November%202019.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 14, 2020|website=ebu.ch}}</ref> and favourably reviewed in the Swiss national press.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=MURI: Musik, die auch Choreografie ist|url=https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/zentralschweiz/muri-musik-die-auch-choreografie-ist-ld.124810|access-date=2020-12-10|website=Luzerner Zeitung|date=22 May 2017 |language=de}}</ref> Loher's musical style has been described as ''differentiated and delicate,''<ref name=":13" /> his artistic language referred as ''intense, magically combining drama with tonal poetry''.<ref name=":14" /> Loher was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1986, and is now based in Oslo, Norway.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=barokensemble de swaen|url=http://www.barokensembledeswaen.nl/html_e/silvan_loher.html|access-date=2020-11-15|website=www.barokensembledeswaen.nl}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
== Education == After high school, Loher trained as a dancer for two years at the Zurich Opera House ballet school. Undertaking musical education, in 2006 he began composition studies under Georg Friedrich Haas and Jakob Ullmann at the Hochschule für Musik (Basel), completing a master's degree in composition & music theory in 2013. Loher also attended master composition classes with Beat Furrer, Helmut Lachenmann, Chaya Czernowin and Thomas Jennefelt.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|title=Silvan Loher (Komponist) - Musikalischer Sommer in Ostfriesland 2014|url=http://archiv2013.musikalischersommer.com/kuenstler/silvan-loher-komponist/|access-date=2020-11-15|website=archiv2013.musikalischersommer.com}}</ref>
== Career ==
Loher's compositions are often designed for period instruments and voices.<ref name=":9" /> Hence he has collaborated with several musical institutions, groups and ensembles, including Schola Cantorum Basiliensis(Basel),<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Studienführer 2016/2017|url=http://blogs.fhnw.ch/scb_news/files/2016/08/StF%C3%BC_2016_WEB.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 17, 2020|website=fhnw.ch}}</ref> De Swaen(Amsterdam),<ref name=":9" /> Il Continuo(Cremona),<ref name=":15" /> Camerata Variabile (Basel),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Camerata variabile – contributi alle composizioni di Isabel Klaus, Mischa Kaeser, Silvan Loher e Dominik Blum|url=https://www.ubs.com/global/it/about_ubs/stiftungen/kultur/progetti/examples-2016/camerata-variabile.html|access-date=2020-11-17|website=Temi globali|language=it}}</ref> Voces Suaves (Basel),<ref name=":5" /> Cafebaum (Basel),<ref name=":5" /> Liedduo Brütsch & Engeli (Laufenburg, Aargau),<ref name=":20">{{Cite web|title=Klassisches Konzert Laufenburg: Uraufführung: Gedichte von Christian Haller, vertont von Schweizer Komponisten|url=https://www.classicpoint.net/de/urauffuehrung-gedichte-von-christian-haller-vertont-von-schweizer-komponisten/113207|access-date=2020-11-19|website=Classicpoint.net|language=de-de}}</ref> Media Res (Basel),<ref name=":16">{{Cite web|title=Ensemble Media Res|url=https://www.reginamuerren.ch/wp/events/ensemble-media-res/|access-date=2020-11-22|language=de-DE}}</ref> and Paulus Barokk(Oslo).<ref name=":19">{{Cite web|title=Påskehistorien 10. mars i Paulus kirke – ensemble Paulus Barokk|url=https://www.paulusbarokk.com/konsert/448/|access-date=2020-11-18|language=nb-NO}}</ref> In 2013, his Clarinet Quintet won a jury's special prize at the VII edition of the " ... a Camillo Togni" contest in Brescia.<ref name=":6" /> Loher's compositions have been performed in music festivals such as the Musikalischer Sommer in Ostfriesland (2013),<ref name=":12" /> the Bach Festival in Schaffhausen (2018),<ref name=":2" /> the Ars Braemia Musikfestival in Rheinau (2019),<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Vergangene Projekte ars braemia - ars bræmia|url=http://www.arsbraemia.ch/archiv/vergangene-projekte-ars-braemia|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.arsbraemia.ch}}</ref> and the Swiss Chamber Music Festival in Adelboden(2020).<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=Berner Kulturagenda - Events|url=https://bka.ch/events?option=com_wowawu&view=detail&eid=148895|access-date=2020-11-14|website=bka.ch|language=de-ch}}</ref>
His music has also been performed in concerts in Brescia (2013),<ref name=":24">{{Cite web|title=Brescia: Concerto dei finalisti del Concorso di composizione ... a Camillo Togni|url=http://www.cidim.it/cidim/content/314696?id=365851|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.cidim.it|language=it}}</ref> Weil am Rhein(2014)<ref name=":23" /> Schaffhausen (2014, 2019, 2020),<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Eine ganz individuelle Musiksprache|url=https://queerdom.ch/roweb_dokumente/82/shn_2014-02-26_Die_Akzeptanz_in_Schaffhausen_ist_gut.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 16, 2020|website=queerdom.ch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Lohers neuster Streich|url=https://www.shaz.ch/download/Ausgabe_37_12._September_2019.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 19, 2020|website=shaz.ch|page=21}}</ref><ref name=":14" /> Basel (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019),<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Agenda Juli August 2014|url=https://www.programmzeitung.ch/download/Content_attachments/FileBaseDoc/PZ2014-07-08150dpiText.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=programmzeitung.ch|page=46}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Donnerstag, 30.1.:Liederabend mit Uraufführungen -Allgemeine Lesegesellschaft|url=https://www.gaybasel.org/events/6838/liederabend-mit-urauffuehrungen|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.gaybasel.org}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web|title=Konzert: Basel klingt Gränzeloos, Christkatholische Kirche Basel Stadt|url=https://www.ckk-bs.ch/m/b/126|access-date=2020-11-16|website=www.ckk-bs.ch}}</ref><ref name=":22" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|year=2019|title=Konzert - Moderne Werke der Klassik|url=https://issuu.com/m-magazin/docs/migros-magazin-34-2019-d-bl|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 20, 2020|website=migros.ch|page=63}}</ref> Cremona (2016),<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|title=Il violino Trasceso - Comune di Cremona|url=https://www.comune.cremona.it/node/466242|access-date=2020-11-16|website=www.comune.cremona.it}}</ref> Fribourg(2017),<ref name=":22" /> Neuhausen(2017),<ref name=":22" /> Zürich(2017),<ref name=":22" /> Muri (2017),<ref name=":1" /> Laufenburg(2018),<ref name=":20"/> Rheinau(2019),<ref name=":2" /> Oslo (2019),<ref name=":19" /> Hamar (2019),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Påskehistorien 9. mars i Hamar domkirke – ensemble Paulus Barokk|url=https://www.paulusbarokk.com/konsert/paskeoratoriet-9-og-10-3-2019-i-oslo-og-hamar/|access-date=2020-11-19|language=nb-NO}}</ref> and Adelboden(2020).<ref name=":10" /> His compositions have been aired on BBC Radio 3,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Songs of the Night|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pf0y|access-date=2020-11-15|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Rai Radio 3,<ref name=":6" /> SRF,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Koproduktionen von Radio SRF 2 Kultur|url=https://www.srf.ch/content/download/14317641/158515201/version/2/file/171201_KoproduktionenSRFKultur.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 15, 2020|website=srf.ch}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Citation|last=Weber|first=Moritz|title=Camerata variabile: "Black is the colour"|date=2017-04-30|url=https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/musikabend/camerata-variabile-black-is-the-colour|publisher=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen SRF|language=de-CH|access-date=2020-11-15}}</ref> and the European EBU.<ref name=":7" />
In 2020 Loher was chosen to contribute to the music for “Rhyality”, a video installation permanently displayed at the "Immersive 360° Art Hall" above the Rhine Falls in the canton of Schaffhausen.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Der Rheinfall in vier Jahreszeiten – Rhyality Immersive Art Hall|url=https://rhyality.ch/der-rheinfall-in-vier-jahreszeiten/|access-date=2020-11-16|language=de-CH}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|first=Deutsche|title="Rhyality": The Rhine Falls as a virtual waterfall {{!}} DW {{!}} 08.08.2020|url=https://www.dw.com/en/rhyality-the-rhine-falls-as-a-virtual-waterfall/av-54489598|language=en-GB|access-date=2021-04-08}}</ref> Together with Loher as a composer, this work was accomplished with participation of the writer Ursula Haas, the violinist Helena Winkelman, and the jazz pianist Thomas Silvestri.<ref name=":18" />
In 2017, the composer released his first CD, titled ''Night, Sleep, Death and the Stars,'' with label Odradek, in collaboration with Swiss radio SRF.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web|title=Odradek Records » Album » Silvan Loher – NIGHT, SLEEP, DEATH AND THE STARS|url=https://www.odradek-records.com/album/silvan-loher-night/|access-date=2020-11-15|language=en-US}}</ref> The album includes songs for voice and piano comprising poems by the German-speaking Mascha Kaleko and by Walt Whitman, interpreted by Silke Gäng (mezzo-soprano) and Marco Scilironi (piano). The "strict tonality" of the songs, and their reminiscence to chansons from the early twentieth century have been noted.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stallknecht|first=Michael|title=Rundumschlager|url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/klassikkolumne-rundumschlager-1.3671308|access-date=2020-11-15|website=Süddeutsche.de|date=18 September 2017 |language=de}}</ref> In a comment about this work, music producer Valerio Benz from the Swiss Radio has suggested a resemblance to the styles of Othmar Schoeck or Benjamin Britten.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lieder von Silvan Loher - CH-Musik - SRF|url=https://www.srf.ch/audio/ch-musik/lieder-von-silvan-loher?id=11158053|access-date=2021-04-10|website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF)|language=de}}</ref>
Loher is a member of the Swiss Association of Musicians (Sonart),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mitglieder – SONART – Musikschaffende Schweiz|url=https://www.sonart.swiss/de/verband/mitgliederverzeichnis/|access-date=2020-11-16|website=www.sonart.swiss|language=de}}</ref> and of the Norwegian Society of Composers.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=AuthorBeate|title=Silvan Loher|url=https://www.komponist.no/staff/silvan-loher/|access-date=2020-11-21}}</ref> A lengthy interview with the composer was published by International Arts Manager magazine in June 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Swiss composer Silvan Loher on his love of nature and ambitions for the future - International Arts Manager|url=http://www.internationalartsmanager.com/features/swiss-composer-silvan-loher-on-his-love-of-nature-and-ambitions-for-the-future.html|access-date=2020-11-16|language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Works == A selection of works by the composer is listed below:
* ''Quintet for clarinet and strings'' (2009/2012).<ref name=":24" /> * ''Durch Kahle Birken'' (2010-2012), for solo soprano, alto and bass singers, flute, oboe d'amore, oboe di selva, bassoon, two violins, two violas, cello and contrabass, based on poems by Georg Trakl.<ref>{{Cite web|title=barokensemble de swaen|url=http://www.barokensembledeswaen.nl/html/hiphip0110.html|access-date=2020-11-17|website=www.barokensembledeswaen.nl}}</ref> *''Ten Poems by Walt Whitman'' (2012-2013), which includes the pieces ''To You, As If a Phantom Caress’d Me'', ''Aroused and Angry, A Prairie Sunset, A Clear Midnight, Soon Shall The Winter’s Foil Be Here, Joy Shipmate Joy!, To The States, Of Him I Love Day and Night,'' and ''Tramp a Perpetual Journey''.<ref name=":17" /> *''Lieder over poems by Mascha Kaleko'' (2012-2015), which includes the pieces ''Interview mit mir selbst, Konsequenz des Herzens, Blasse Tage, Auf eine Leierkastenmelodie, Herbst-Melancholie, Geburtstag, Agota, Kleines Liebeslied, Wenn man nachts nicht schlafen kann,'' and ''Gewissermassen ein Herbstgedicht.<ref name=":17" />'' *''Intermezzi'' (2014), for baroque orchestra.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Scarlattiana|url=http://orgelkonzerteweil.de/programme/14_prgScarlattiana.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 19, 2020|website=orgelkonzerteweil.de}}</ref> *''Partita a tre violini senza basso'' (2016), Ricercar (Andante) – Corale (Largo) – Finale (Allegro risoluto), work commissioned by Ensemble Il Continuo.<ref name=":15" /> * ''Messe für Muri'' (2016), for 20 voices and 16 historical instruments, said to be ''musically accessible and yet mysterious, by a composer who cannot be pigeonholed''.<ref name=":1" /> *''Dann werden wir kein Feuer brauchen'' (2017)'','' for voice, clarinet, violin, viola, violoncello and harp.<ref name=":8" /> * ''Walt Whitman’s Credo'' (2018)'','' for mezzo-soprano, cor anglais or clarinet, and violoncello.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web|title=Schedule :: Christina Daletska|url=http://www.daletska.net/en/Schedule.html|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.daletska.net}}</ref> *''De Profundis'', cantata for singers and baroque orchestra (2018). A composition exploring relations between dark and bright and their transitions, using complex chords of dissonance and euphony.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Das Ausloten des Dazwischen – zwei Uraufführungen von Silvan Loher|url=https://www.shn.ch/region/kanton/2018-05-14/das-ausloten-des-dazwischen-zwei-urauffuehrungen-von-silvan-loher|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.shn.ch|language=de}}</ref> *''Ungeheuer ist viel und nichts ungeheurer als der Mensch'' (2018)'','' for soprano solo, 2 choirs and baroque orchestra, a motet based on a text from Sophocles' ''Antigone''.<ref name=":3" /> *E''s-Dur'' (2018), work for violin solo over a poem by Klaus Merz.<ref name=":2" /> *''Fantasi og fuge'' (2018)'','' for baroque orchestra.''<ref name=":19" />'' *''Pappelallee'' (2018), based on three poems by Ch. Haller.<ref name=":20" /> *''Les violons de l’automne'' (2019), for soprano and 4 violas, a song cycle on the themes of loss and lost love in four different languages.<ref name=":16" /> *''Rheinfall im August'' (2019), for soprano and sinfonietta, composed for the project “Rhyality” over a text by Ursula Haas.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web|title=Die Künstler - arttourist.com|url=http://arttourist.com/kunst/medienkunst/rhyality/die-kuenstler.html|access-date=2020-11-19|website=arttourist.com}}</ref> *''Sonata for soprano and organ'' (2020), A piece comprising poems by Walt Whitman and by the Finnish poet Edith Södergran which is said to ''use an intense musical language, magically combining drama, menace and confidence, with tonal poetry''.<ref name=":14">{{Cite web|title=Ein wahrer Ansturm zum Abschiedskonzert|url=https://www.shn.ch/region/kanton/2020-08-18/ein-wahrer-ansturm-zum-abschiedskonzert|access-date=2020-11-15|website=www.shn.ch|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=SIlvan Loher - dann werden wir kein Feuer brauchen|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koS10XxPSOk|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=Nov 17, 2020|website=youtube.com}}</ref> *''Krusiduller'' (2020)'','' for violin and piano.<ref>{{Citation|last=Competition|first=ORPHEUS|title="Krusiduller" von Silvan Loher|date=2020-10-22|url=https://vimeo.com/470926926|access-date=2020-11-19}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *[https://silvanloher.com/ Silvan Loher's Official website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Loher, Silvan}} Category:Swiss composers Category:Swiss male composers Category:People from Schaffhausen Category:1986 births Category:Living people