Ephemeral Fragments is an improvising trio with Florian Walter on tubax, Emily Wittbrodt on cello, and Korhan Erel on electronics.
They played their first concert on April 29th, 2019 when Florian asked the other two musicians to play with him at his concert series at Alte Mitte in Essen. Happy with the results of this concert, the three musicians decided to go forward with this line up and played a recording session later in 2019. Despite the onset of the pandemic, they have managed to play two more concerts in 2020. The first one was on the first day of the first lockdown, March 14th, in Essen and the second one in Krefeld on August 15th. Another concert in Duisburg had to be cancelled. From 2021 onwards, the band has been back to playing concerts.
Ephemeral Fragments will be performing at this year’s A L’ARME! FESTIVAL at Radialsystem.
FACTS
1. Sometimes it’s pretty inspiring not to play your instrument for quite some time. Every human being should have the chance to experience improvisation in dance, theatre or music. Finally, the weather has gotten really strange.
2. Snails were really aggressive this year! I fear the wasp invation, but then the best is always yet to come.
3. The election in France gave us hope again and the northern coast of Germany is actually good vacation destination.
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
F: The people listening to it and their stories, how they perceive the music and what they take home afterwards.
E: The people that surround me and my garden.
K: Sounds and how they change the way humans perceive reality
2. How and when did you get into making music?
F: Starting to play the instrument at the age of 11, seriously thinking about doing it on the long run: after seeing a concert of Kenny Garrett at the age of 16
E: At the age of five. Both my older sisters played instruments and I wanted to play with them. Back then it was more about the urgent desire to spend time with them than the actual joy of making music.
K: My mom’s first memory of me getting fixated on sounds is when I would cry to make her take me to the toilet and make her flush the toilet numerous times. I’d listen intently and then would want to hear it again, she says. I think this was when I was around 10 months old.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Florian:
Neutral Milk Hotel – Aeroplane over the sea
Locas In Love – Saurus
The Dø – Both ways open jaws
The Go!team – Semicircle
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
Emily:
Pavement: Terror Twilight
Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden
Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
Johan Graden, Ellen Arkbro: I get along with you very well
Sofie Birch, Antonina Nowack: Languoria
Korhan:
Talk Talk: Laughing Stock and Spirit of Eden
Pet Shop Boys: Actually
Thomas Ankersmit: Homage to Dirk Raaijmakers
Everything composed by Bernard Parmeggiani
All albums of Evan Parker’s Electroacoustic Ensemble
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
F: Anything goes, but also pretty much has to go all the time
E: Long ways and politics
K: Freedom
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
F: A friends‘ living room
E: I don’t have one
K: Südblock and Tempelhofer Feld
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
F: Something really peaceful, like watchmaking or gardening
E: I would search for a planet where music exists.
K: Sit around all day, eat croissants and gossip (which I do anyway)
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listen?
F: Penelope Scott – Public Void
E: Still House Plants- If I don’t make it, I love u
K: Quiet Music Ensemble – we return to ground by Karen Power
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
F: Laurel Halo
E: Pavement! But they never ask.
K: Slowdive or Squid
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
F: Performer: with Ami Yamasaki & Ko Ishikawa in Tokyo 2019
E: Spectator: A concert by Portishead at Melt Festival when I was 15
K: Performer: The Liz “Book of Birds” at Moers Festival 2016
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
F: A necessary tool
E: It’s important because I work with electronic musicians* I really admire for their way of using technology (for example Korhan Erel or Edis Ludwig). But in my creative process as a composer or solo musician it doesn’t play a very big role.
K: I’m an electronic musician…
11. What can we expect from your performance at this year’s A L’ARME! festival?
F: Quite a challenge in the best way possible
E: An exciting collaboration with Lena Czerniawska and Emilio Gordoa! We’re looking forward to that.
K: Delicate music
