KASSEL JAEGER: A Rift in the Horizon's Wall

Kassel Jaeger’s works are a complex balance between concrète experimentalism, ambient noise, and electroacoustic improv exploring geological associations with sound. During his residency at Epsilon Spires, Kassel Jaeger (François J. Bonnet) will compose new music to perform in the unique sonic atmosphere of our Sanctuary at the conclusion of his visit, Thursday, June 8th: A Rift in the Horizon's Wall. 

Kassel Jaeger (François J. Bonnet) is a Franco-Swiss composer and electroacoustic musician based in Paris. In addition to being the Director of INA GRM (Institut national de l’audiovisuel / Groupe de Recherches Musicales – the latter being one of the birthplaces of electroacoustic experimentation in the late 1950’s), François J. Bonnet is also a writer and theoretician: his books “The Order of Sounds: A Sonorous Archipelago”, “The Infra-World”, and “After Death” are published in English by Urbanomic. He is also the author of the manifesto “The Music to Come”, published by Shelter Press in 2020, and the co-editor of the “SPECTRES” series of publications, a joint project of INA GRM and Shelter Press. He has collaborated with artists such as Oren Ambarchi, Giuseppe Ielasi, Stephan Mathieu, Stephen O’Malley, Jim O’Rourke, Akira Rabelais, James Rushford or Gisèle Vienne. Kassel Jaeger’s works are a complex balance between concrète experimentalism, ambient noise, and electroacoustic improvisation. He has released several albums on various labels such as Editions Mego, Shelter Press, Black Truffle, Senufo Edition, etc. While his own music has been played in renowned venues and festivals all over the world, François J. Bonnet has been working closely with groundbreaking composer and electronic music pioneer Eliane Radigue, and has been performing regularly her electronic music in concert. On Sunday, June 4th he will perform Radigue's electroacoustic drone composition "L'Île Re-sonante," which builds continuously transforming sound textures that are subtle and calm, inviting a deep, concentrated mode of listening.

The live performance on June 8th will be recorded and released as an album in collaboration with a local record label, which will add to Bonnet’s body of work and create documentation that can continue to be heard around the world. Each album cover will be uniquely screen printed with a design by Bonnet in order to create albums that are themselves works of art. Through Bonnet’s residency, Epsilon Spires endeavors to spark cultural exchange between Brattleboro and France, as well as illuminate French contributions to sonic exploration.This artist residency was made possible by a Jazz & New Music Creation Grant from FACE Foundation, Supporting French-American Cultural Exchange in Education and the Arts.