| Duration | 60 min |
During the First and Second World Wars, church bells were melted down on a massive scale and turned into deadly weapons. With new conflicts unfolding on European soil—and our own government becoming increasingly involved—the sound artists of HIIIT (formerly Slagwerk Den Haag) felt it was time for a counter-voice. Battles & Silences transforms battlefield waste into a new set of instruments and edge-of-your-seat music.
Kilos of bullet casings from Ukraine have been recast into a colossal church bell. And with analog tape, Fiumara & Leeuwis of the electronic duo Poulson Sq. build a dark, brooding drone that slowly fractures under the impact of percussion. When the bell tolls, we’re reminded that peace should never be taken for granted; sometimes we must learn to cherish the silence.
The sound of HIIIT (formerly Slagwerk Den Haag) embraces diversity, from traditional percussion to unconventional sound sources like porcelain and 3D-printed instruments. Together with contemporary artists and makers, they explore new musical horizons and push innovation and experimentation in today’s music world.
Composition: Poulson Sq.
Performers: João Brito, Anthony Fiumara, Dirge Seçil Kuran, Mathijs Leeuwis
Concept: Fedor Teunisse, Hans van Koolwijk
Production: Maryana Golovchenko
Movement coach: Saskia Krol
Text: Lisa Weeda
Fixers: Oleksandr Lokot, Rusya Aseyeva
Korzo Zaal