(b. 20 September 1965, Württemberg).
German composer of mostly chamber, choral/vocal, electroacoustic, and multimedia/performance works that have been performed throughout Europe and elsewhere.
Mr. Muenz studied sound engineering at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold from 1986–88 and chamber music and piano with Klaus Oldemeyer, composition with Krzysztof Meyer and electronic music with Hans Ulrich Humpert at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne from 1988–93, where he earned his diploma in composition. He then had postgraduate studies in composition with Helmut Lachenmann at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1994–97.
Among his honours are a fellowship from the Künstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg (1995), a selected work in the competition Praxis der Neuen Vokalmusik in Stuttgart (1996, for discAntico), the Förderpreis from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (1997), the Bernd-Alois-Zimmermann-Stipendium from the city of Cologne (1997), a fellowship from the government of Germany for a residency at the Villa Aurora in Los Angeles (2000), and the Forschungspreis from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (2001). His music has been performed in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and the USA, including a two-day portrait concert in Cologne (2003). In addition, he is the subject of the profile Zu unbegrenzten Räumen und Möglichkeiten ... Der Kölner Komponist Harald Muenz by Rainer Nonnenmann (2004, MusikTexte).
He is also active in other positions. He has often written programme notes for public radio since 1992 and has made translations for both magazines and radio. He has written many articles and served as editor of the book hin zu einer neuen welt. notate zu Franco Evangelisti (2002, PFAU-Verlag). He served on the board of directors of the Kölner Gesellschaft für Neue Musik from 1996–2002. Moreover, he co-founded with Georg Sachse and Sigrid Sachse the vocal/speech trio sprechbohrer in Cologne in 2004, with which he has performed since 2004.
He lectured on aesthetic phonetics at the Universität zu Köln from 2001–05 and taught composition and sonic arts as a lecturer in music at Brunel University in London from 2005–16.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
exercising, athlete, percussion, 2003
ORCHESTRAL:
tre schizzi, large orchestra (minimum 66 players), 1984
x-rayed x-mas x-tra, orchestra (60 players), 1994–95
SCHLOESCH, large orchestra (74–80 players), 2008–11
CHAMBER MUSIC:
azione triangolare, violin, cello, piano, 1991–92
CITIVS-ALTIVS-FORTIVS, bassoon, percussion, 1992–93
Isn't it romantic?, bassoon, guitar/electric guitar, 1994
standArts, sight-read clarinet, laptop, 1996
ausPlaste (in memoriam Franco Evangelisti), clarinet, trombone, cello, piano, 1996–97
franSung. Ensemblekammermusik zu vierzehnt (vocalise), soprano, flute (+ piccolo), oboe (+ English horn), clarinet, soprano saxophone (+ alto saxophone, bass clarinet), trumpet, trombone, harp, viola, cello, double bass, piano, sampler, percussion, 1997
musik + salon =, 2 synthesizers, 1998 (collaboration with hans w. koch)
writing, amplified bass drum (2 players, both + sopranino recorder, Großbass recorder [by Joachim Paetzold]), fixed media (2 tracks), 1998
BACH-Maschin', 2 cellos, organ, accordion, 1999–2000
...und weil die da in donaueschingen immer noch töne brauchen, hab' ich sie ihnen halt hingeschrieben..., clarinet, guitar, violin, piano, 2000
miniaturen, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 1995–2001
il filosofo (vocalise), soprano, clarinet, trumpet, percussion, 2001
ariche, bass flute, fixed media, 2001
CD player, 4 Spieler mit laseroptischen Speichermedien, 4 amplified CDs (used like playing cards) (4 players), 2001
The SelfComposer, sight-read oboe, laptop, 1999–2002
articulated strings, harp, guitar, cello, live electronics, 2002
The Abyss of the Eyes (concert installation), sopranino recorder (+ tenor recorder, subcontrabass recorder [by Joachim Paetzold]), guitar, piano, live electronics, 2003, revised 2005
dissieme, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, live electronics, 2004
... con dolcezza ..., flute, clarinet, harp, cello, double bass, piano, live electronics, 2005–06
dietro V avanti, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, vibraphone, 2006–07
nearly – fast, bass clarinet, piano, marimba, 2008
data compression, violin, accordion, 2009
tubus borealis, any 1–4 strings, 2010
it's minute, harp, piano, marimba, 2010
fein ... auflösend, flute, clarinet, cello, piano, 2010–11
stein-sum (text by the composer, after Gertrude Stein), mezzo-soprano, viola d'amore, microtonal keyboard, 2011–12
Raus auf die Straße! Luft! ¡A la calle! ¡Fuera! (text by Florian Neuner), 2012–13 (its four sections may be performed separately: Satellit 1, piccolo, clarinet, glockenspiel, 2 megaphones; Satellit 2, oboe d'amore, contrabass clarinet, fixed media [2 tracks]; Satellit 3, speaker, piano, vibraphone, fixed media [2 tracks], film ad libitum [by the performers]; Abendstück, 2 speakers, flute [+ piccolo, alto flute], oboe [+ oboe d'amore], clarinet, contrabass clarinet, piano, percussion, fixed media [4 tracks] [also version for mezzo-soprano, 2 speakers, flute (+ piccolo, alto flute), oboe (+ oboe d'amore), clarinet, contrabass clarinet, piano, percussion, fixed media (4 tracks)])
spray, bass oboe, tenor saxophone, viola, 2012–13
aldiladellaldiqua, alto flute, clarinet (+ A-clarinet), violin, cello, 2014
I Fiffari, mechanical birdcalls (variable number of players), recorders (1 player), flutes (1 player), clarinets (1 player), double-bell French horn, fixed media, 2015
articolarsi (studie), alto saxophone, 2015
ciascuno avrà i suoi cinque minuti (concertino), piano, ensemble (oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, double bass, percussion), 2016
devil's triangle, speaker, oboe (+ bass oboe), soprano saxophone (+ baritone saxophone), fixed media, 2019
CHORAL/VOCAL:
deChiffrAGE (text from a random source, generated live), any speaker (+ laptop), 1993
discAntico (texts by St. Francis of Assisi, Andrea Pieroni), 8 mixed voices, 1995
parkfiguren (text by Róža Domašcyna; voice and speaker must be of different genders), voice, speaker, 1996
'shiftlessness/schiebeproben' (vocalise), soprano, clarinet, synthesizer, live electronics, 1998, revised 1999 (collaboration with hans w. koch)
SprachProben (texts from sounds in the moribund languages Arbëresh, Istro-Romanian), soprano, female Wolfsohn voice (with an extended range), male Wolfsohn voice (with an extended range), female speaker, male speaker, sopranino recorder (+ alto recorder), flute, clarinet, fixed media (2–8 tracks), computer, 2001–03
entr'actes (text by the composer), any speaker (+ laptop), film (by the composer), 2004
de(ux)ChiffrAGE (text from a random source, generated live), any 2 speakers (both + laptop), 2004
seconda vista (text by the composer), 4 mixed voices, 2010
bum al lumhini (text by Oswald Egger), 4 mixed voices, 2010
d(r)e(i)ChiffrAGE (text from a random source, generated live), any 3 speakers (all + laptop), 2010
allo studio con Nicola, mezzo-soprano, bass clarinet ad libitum, viola, microtonal keyboard, 2014
Das Zungenbuch, 3 phonetic voices (high, medium, low), 2007–16 (its five sections may be performed separately: ...und dann ist mir donaueschingen dazwischengekommen... [text by the composer], 2007; tsvi:-Satz [text by the composer, after tongue-twisters], 2008; VAGES unter LAS die/der VEGAS decke [texts by Florian Neuner, Christian Filips, Monika Rinck], 2010; Heisze Fusion [text by Christian Filips], 2013; Im Merzen am Rheine – zweisilbig parallel [text by the composer], 2016)
Das kleine Da-da-da, 3 phonetic voices (high, medium, low), 2016
des volkes weise. ein spottchor, 4 mixed voices, 2017
Comme vous savez..., 5 mixed voices with masks, 2019
[funda'men defi'nit] (texts from the Basic Law [Germany], the Charter of Fundamental Rights [European Union]), 10 mixed voices, 2019
normal.zustand (text by the composer), 10 mixed voices, 2021
phersu, soprano, piano, 2021
PIANO:
corps d'œuvres, 1996
ope-seynsu, piano, fixed media, 2001
schönes klavierstück, 2006
prima vista. Tu, Felix, Austeritatem nube!, 2009
unashamed piano playing, 2 pianos, 2010
Beethovenamstück, 2015
ORGAN:
-tulationstòpos (organist also speaks word "tulationstòpos"), organ, metronome, 1991
[ðə 'fɑ:ðə ɪz 'ɔ:ɹəl], 2006–07
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
deSperanto, fixed media (2/4 tracks), 1995–96
tafelmusik I (sound installation), fixed media, 1998 (collaboration with hans w. koch, Andrea Pieroni)
tafelproben (sound installation), fixed media, 1998 (collaboration with hans w. koch)
spi:tschsaontskäip 1 (texts by the composer, Andrea Pieroni), 2 male voices, fixed media (2 tracks), 2000
BeethovEnBloc, fixed media (2 tracks), 2000
schweigenderest, fixed media (2/4 tracks), 2000–01
BrahmsBloc, fixed media (2 tracks), 2001
SILENtplaCES, fixed media (2 tracks), 2002
dreimal neunzig sekunden wirklichkeit, fixed media (2 tracks), 2002
Žejanski Kntaduri, fixed media (2 tracks), 2003
fugaCittà (sound installation), fixed media, 2003
rieselt stille froh entsprungen, fixed media (8 tracks), 2003
Klangsignet for KunstSalon Köln / KunstSalon-Stiftung, fixed media (2 tracks), 2004
Hallo, hier spricht Ehrenfeld!, fixed media (2 tracks), 2004 (collaboration with Holger Schroers)
Ipecacuanha, fixed media (2 tracks), 2006
[KLIKTRAEK DE:?ES], fixed media (2 tracks), 2007
Still Life with Orphean Shepherd, fixed media (2 tracks), 2007
Orèlob 80, fixed media (2 tracks), 2008
Elektrophonet (radiophonic composition), fixed media (2 tracks), 2009
durch die vögel. A speech soundscape for John Cage (text by Florian Neuner), fixed media (2/4 tracks), 2011
zwiegefühle. Radiophonic Composition for Helmut Lachenmann (80), fixed media, 2015
Ceci n'est pas un homme riant. Radiophonic Speech Soundscape for Helmut Lachenmann, fixed media, 2015
Oiseaux d'artifice – une nature morte (radiophonic composition), fixed media, 2018
Duck well, alles gut (radiophonic composition, text by the composer), fixed media, 2017–19
Appendix zum Sprechbuch des neuen Unmenschen (radiophonic composition), fixed media, 2020
... meanwhile, in another life ... (radiophonic composition, text by the composer), fixed media, 2021
MULTIMEDIA/PERFORMANCE:
Haut Parleurs (performance, text by Mathias Traxler), speaker, live electronics, 2017
müll fällt an (performance, text by Cristian Forte), actor, live electronics, 2017
Partial Horns (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life), 2017 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
La Chute de la Flûte (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life), 2018 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
Forest – forestiero (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life), 2019 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
1770 EnDingBeethov 2020 (walkable sound installation in the virtual world Second Life), 2020 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
Così_____fan (performance, text by Mathias Traxler), speaker, live electronics, 2020
ar study #1 (audiovisual composition), film, 2020
Four Seasons (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life for a 3D building by Duna Gant), 2020 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
rifiutatio, film, 2020
Il Silenzio della Luce (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life for a 3D building by Duna Gant), 2020 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
silent mouvement – a visual study, film, 2020
CHUZPE (transdisciplinary vocal–speech–sound performance), female extreme voice, male phonetic voice, 2020 (collaboration with Bettina Wenzel)
Light! (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Craft World for a 3D building by Duna Gant), 2020 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
ar study #2 (audiovisual composition), film, 2021
MANHATTAN (walkable interactive sound installation in the virtual world Second Life for a 3D building by Duna Gant), 2021 (written under the pseudonym avatar Cuirec d'Erc)
... your feedback is highly appreciated ... (cycle of 6 audiovisual compositions), film, 2021 (its six sections may be performed separately: ricordiamo j. f.; zèb bleuâtre; metallurgica; pettini – filtri; manuale vocale; final. animé et très rythmé)
ALiEN iSaitig (transdisciplinary string–voice–sound performance), 2 voices (both + one-stringers, iPads), 2021 (collaboration with Bettina Wenzel)
DISCOGRAPHY
writing. duo:archaeopteryx (Cybele Records/Feedback Studio Verlag: 960303, 2003)
dreimal neunzig sekunden wirklichkeit. (Cybele Records/Feedback Studio Verlag: 960208, 2005)
Ipecacuanha. (WERGO: 6599 2, 2005)
Still Life with Orphean Shepherd. (Cybele Records/Feedback Studio Verlag: 960209, 2007)
Orèlob 80. (Noise of Cologne 1, 2010)
nearly – fast; data compression; fein ... auflösend; schönes klavierstück; dietro V avanti. Ernst Surberg, piano; ensemble mosaik (Coviello Contemporary: COV 61117, 2012)
BeethovEnBloc. (Müzik Hayvanı İstanbul: MH-G7-012, 2012)
zwiegefühle. Radiophonic Composition for Helmut Lachenmann (80). (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-031, 2015)