KLANGSPUREN SCHWAZ
Tyrolean festival of new music
Rewind · Play · Fast Forward
From 11 to 27 September 2025, the 32nd edition of Klangspuren Schwaz explored the multifaceted tension between humanity and technology under the motto 'Rewind – Play – Fast Forward'. The Tyrolean festival of new music presented itself as a musical time machine, navigating between echoes of the past and innovations of the future. With 18 concerts at extraordinary and traditional venues in Innsbruck and the Schwaz district, as well as five sound stations on the Kellerjoch sound walk, the festival created a unique sonic landscape. The programme featured 24 world premieres and nine Austrian premieres.
The opening concert, performed by the Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck under the direction of Susanne Blumenthal united all three thematic areas of the festival motto. Highlights included Juliet Fraser's intense performance "Lament: a ritual of letting go", the anniversary concert "40 Jahre Klangforum Wien" with Johannes Maria Staud, as well as innovative formats such as Thomas Wally's music theatre performance "Being Karl Dieter" and Pierre Jodlowski's multimedia "Limbus". Ukrainian sound artist Katarina Gryvul combined electronic music with personal memories in SPOMYN, while the ensemble airborne extended connected historical instruments with cutting-edge technology. The festival concluded with the impressive concert "RESONANCE IBK" by Hannes Strobl and Christof Dienz at the former St. Bartlmä industrial hall.
The education programme "Future Lab" once again offered an important platform for the next generation. In the Composers Lab, seven world premieres by emerging international composers were created under the mentorship of Justė Janulytė and Johannes Maria Staud, presented by Studio Dan. KonsTellation plus, under the direction of Ivana Pristašová Zaugg and Michael Wendeberg, presented Martin Smolka's humorous silent film score "Die Puppe" as well as other contemporary works. The Open Lab, a new format, enabled direct exchange between artists and audiences through workshops and sound walks.
After four successful years, Christof Dienz is handing over the artistic direction to Dutch trumpeter and music curator Marco Blaauw.
The 33rd edition of Klangspuren Schwaz will take place from September 10–26, 2026.
Listen to the Klangspuren Festival concerts of 2025 on Ö1:
- Studio Dan: 05.10.2025, 19.45 Uhr, Ö1, Supernova
- Ensemble Chromoson: 20.10.2025, 23.03 Uhr, Ö1, Sound Art: Zeit-Ton
- Transitions: 24.10.2025, 23.03 Uhr, Ö1, Sound Art: Zeit-Ton
- Composers Lab – Abschlusskonzert: 17.11.2025, 23.03 Uhr, Ö1, Sound Art: Zeit-Ton
- Airborne Extended: 15.12.2025, 23.03 Uhr, Ö1, Sound Art: Zeit-Ton
- Resonance IBK: 06.02.2026, 23.03 Uhr, Ö1, Sound Art: Zeit-Ton