Svetlana Maraš is a composer and sound artist active in the field of experimental music. Her work encompasses a variety of formats such as live performance, electro-acoustic composition, sound installations and works for the radio.
Performing live is part of her ongoing practice that utilizes a variety of physical controllers in a live concert setting that she interprets as a place for experimentation and collective listening. These performances stem partially from her practice as an improviser which reflects in the instrumental use of the setup that she chooses to play with. This approach allows versatile sound manipulation in real-time that appropriates playing with the acoustic instruments.
Maraš is Professor of Creative Music Technology and Co-head of Electronic Studio at Hochschule für Musik FHNW, Basel. She is the winner of the most prestigious Serbian composition prize "Mokranjac", awarded by the Serbian Composers' Association.
From 2016-2021, she was composer in residence and artistic director at Radio Belgrade’s Electronic studio, where she established numerous programs such as artistic residencies, educational courses and most notably, restoration of EMS Synthi 100. During the time at Radio Belgrade, she developed works such as Jezik (shortlisted for Prix Italia award in 2017), Radio Concert No.1 and Radio Concert No.2 - live performances with the use of Synthi 100, as well as Post-excavation activities, the work which has brought her “Mokranjac” prize in 2021.
Maraš has presented her work internationally, at venues, festivals and events such as Kunstmuseum (Basel), Haus der Kunst (Munich), Ruhr Triennial, CTM (Berlin), Ars Electronica (Linz), Wien Modern, House of Electronic Arts (Basel), Espace Multimedia Gantner (Bourogne), Musikprotokoll (Graz), Heroines of Sound (Berlin), Onassis Cultural Centre (Athens), Stadttheater (Bern), Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade), Izlog Suvremenog Zvuka (Zagreb), Blurred edges (Hamburg), ICMC (New York), International Rostrum of Composers (Wroclaw), ISEA (Dubai), International Music Institute (Darmstadt), Orpheus Institute (Ghent) and many other places. Her music was used in theatre plays, experimental and documentary films and presented at places like MOMA (New York), Aubagne International Film Festival and Bitef theatre (Belgrade).
Svetlana Maraš was SHAPE artist for 2020, and co-curator of 4fakultät concert series in Hamburg. Since 2022, she is part of the Zürich Stadt - Music Commission.
Website
Credit photo: Tanja Kanazir