Marcus Schmickler performs the U.S. premiere of Altars of Science. The piece—his first purely electronic work since 1998’s prize-winning Sator Rotas—applies various models of granular-synthesis and chaos functions onto microtonal pitch-classes. The formal approach follows a subdivision in 8 sets. To our ears: brilliant, haunted, alien, fast-panning weirdness.

Schmickler reminds us too that this new composition recalls techniques he introduced in an earlier work <22gliders>-rule, a piece for cellular automata treatments of a string quartet, which he presented at Lampo in September 2002.

Marcus Schmickler (b.1968, Cologne, Germany) is internationally well-known in diverse contexts of contemporary music, shifting between classical and pop, improvisation and techno. His latest releases feature choir- and chamber music pieces, a new computer music composition, and a new work under the Pluramon moniker with Julee Cruise. Ongoing collaborations include duo projects with analog synth player Thomas Lehn and British pianist John Tilbury. He also is a member of various ensembles, including MIMEO (Music in Movement Electronic Orchestra). He has received numerous prizes and his work has been represented all over the globe. Schmickler lives in Cologne.

Marcus Schmickler first appeared at Lampo in September 2002 in his Chicago debut. He also performed at Lampo with Thomas Lehn in September 2005.