Interview. She is one of the most consistently visionary, creative and original voices of the contemporary scene and undoubtedly a composer worth following. I have talked to her and this is what she told us.

 1. Ruth Prieto: Who is Carola Bauckholt and which characteristics defines you best?

Carola Bauckholt: This you have to answer…

2. R.P.: Which is your DNA as a composer, as an artist?

Carola Bauckholt: Noises with a meaning

3. R.P.: What inspiring you as an artists?

Carola Bauckholt: To hear something which I don’t understand

4. R.P.:  What are you musical roots, real or imaginary?

Carola Bauckholt: When I was a teenager I performed Acustica and Repertoire from Mauricio Kagel. Of course, that had a big impact on me.

5. R.P.:  In this personal «inventory» that we all have of noises, sounds, music and songs, what
can you tell us about your soundscape?

Carola Bauckholt: I am particularly interested in finding tones in noises and vice versa.

6. R.P.:  What does silence sound like?

Carola Bauckholt: Deep relaxed breathing

7. R.P.:  When you compose do you imagine soundscapes, conglomerates of sounds that you
can transform into written music or it is more a starting point with a melody, rhythm, visual element?

Carola Bauckholt: It is a very complex „feeling“ which I try to grasp by asking myself precise questions.

8. R.P.:  Have you got a composer of reference or someone who made special impression on
you as a composer and as an artists?

Carola Bauckholt: Many … again and again…

9. R.P.:  Can you define contemporary and in which way Carola Bauckholt is a contemporary
composer?

Carola Bauckholt: Defining is not my interest. I want to open windows.

10. R.P.:  What is your main obsession as a composer when you are working?

Carola Bauckholt: Composing for me is very hard and often painful to be confronted with my own weakness.

11 R.P.: How do you go about putting together a new work, could you describe your creative
process?

Carola Bauckholt: Just going on, step by step.

12. R.P.: How do you see the contemporary music scene today, in this difficult times?

Carola Bauckholt: We are living in difficult times and I am afraid it will be much more difficult in future.

13. R.P.:  Is it difficult to perform avant-garde projects in these time of crisis?

Carola Bauckholt: Of course!

14. R.P.: Do you think it is still necessary to make visible women in music?

Carola Bauckholt: Yes.

15. R.P.: What could we do to do this musical world more inclusive?

Carola Bauckholt: We should open our minds and change the structure of music academies fundamentally.

16. R.P.: What are you working on now?

Carola Bauckholt: At the moment, I am working on three pieces at the same time:
1. cooperation with violinist Karin Hellqvist for a new violin solo with electronics and video; with Eric Lanz,
2. a solo piece for percussion in a forest in Appenzell/Swiss; with Dirk Rothbrust and texts of Robert Walser and
3. a piece for Ellen Ugelvik and Jennifer Torrence with the animation film maker Elizabeth Hobbs.





Las fotografías de Carola Bauckholt son de Inge Zimmermann y de Astrid Ackermann respectivamente y han sido facilitadas por la propia compositora.