Composer/pianist , Sylvie Courvoisier was born and raised in Lausanne, Switzerland. She moved to Brooklyn, New York in 1998, where she currently resides.
She has played and recorded with John Zorn, Ikue Mori, Joey Baron, Tim Berne, Tony Oxley, Yusef Lateef, Dave Douglas, Jo?"lle Léandre, Herb Robertson, Butch Morris, Tom Rainey, Mark Dresser, Ellery Eskelin, Lotte Anker, Fred Frith, Michel Godard, Mark Nauseef.
She has been commissioned to write music for concerts, radio, dance and theater. Her works include:" Concerto for electric guitar and chamber orchestra" (1999); Three "Balbutiements" for vocal quartet and soprano (1995-2000);"Ocre de Barbarie", a musical performance for metronomes, automatons, barrel organ, piano, tuba, saxophone, violin and percussion, commissioned by the Vidy Theater and Donaueschingen Musiktage Festival(1998).
Her latest releases as a leader are: "ABATON" with Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander on ECM Records (2004), "LONELYVILLE" with her new quintet on Intakt Records (2007) and a solo piano album ,SIGNS AND EPIGRAMS ,on Tzadik Records (2007).
Since 1996, she has been touring widely with her own groups in USA, Canada and Europe. She has performed at many jazz and classical festivals including Banlieue Bleue Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Willisau, Davos, Saalfelden, Groningen, Vision, Nürnberg, Taktlos, London LMC, Bath Festival, Victoriaville Festival.
Sylvie is currently a member of "Mephista", an improvising trio with Ikue Mori and Susie Ibarra;" Herb Robertson Quintet" with Tim Berne, Tom Rainey and Mark Dresser; "Yusef Lateef 4tet"; "Vincent Courtois Trio "with Ellery Eskelin and "John Zorn's Cobra". Since 1997, she has been touring regularly in Duo with Mark Feldman, playing John Zorn's music and their own compositions.
Awards:
"Prix des jeunes créateurs" - Switzerland 1996
"Prix de la Création" - Zonta club, 2000
Work list
Balbutiements I (1995)
Instrumentation: for soprano and vocal quartet
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Diablement tout à trac (1995)
Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano and piano
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Peu à peu (1998)
Instrumentation: for two tubas
A commission for the 1997 Donaueschingen Festival.
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
One too, Too romantisch, Too speedy (1998)
Instrumentation: for violin and piano
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Hôtel du Grand Brouillard (1999)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Mutant, op. 98 (1999)
Instrumentation: for piano, lyre and tuba
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Pièce numéro 23 (1999)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
Concerto pour guitare électrique et orchestre de chambre (1999)
For Fred Frith.
Duration: 26' 00" Manuscript
Sans air, sans voix (1999)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Bulbutiements II (1997-2000)
Instrumentation: for soprano, two tubas and vocal quartet
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 14' 00" Manuscript
Fluxus 2, op. 109 (1999-2000)
Instrumentation: for trumpet, violoncello, piano and percussion
Duration: 9' 00" Manuscript
April 13, op. 108 (2000)
Instrumentation: for trumpet, violoncello, piano and percussion
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Balbutiement III (2000)
Instrumentation: for soprano, piano and vocal quartet
Texts: Jacques Roman
Text: Jacques Roman.
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Cigale (2000)
Instrumentation: for tpt, vc, pf, perc
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Contraste (2000)
Instrumentation: for tpt, vc, pf, perc
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Poco a poco (2000)
Instrumentation: for violin and violoncello
Adaptation and variation of 'Peu à peu'.
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Ianicum (2000)
Instrumentation: for piano, violin and violoncello
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Poco a poco, op. 114 (2000)
Instrumentation: for violin and violoncello
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Rapide (2000)
Instrumentation: for tpt, vc, pf, perc
Duration: 8' 00" Manuscript
Blau (2000)
Instrumentation: for two pianos
Duration: 9' 00" Manuscript
Bleu (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Gelb (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Jaune (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 8' 00" Manuscript
Die Ordnung der Farbe (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 8' 00" Manuscript
Rot (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Rouge (2000)
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Contraste 2 (2001)
Instrumentation: for vn, vc, pf
Duration: 13' 00" Manuscript
Abaton (2001)
Instrumentation: for piano, violin and violoncello
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
24 Keys (2001)
Instrumentation: for 4 pianos
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Orodruin (2001)
Instrumentation: for piano, violin and cello
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Oracle (2002)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Jacques Roman
Duration: 15' 00" Manuscript
Meccania (2002)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Events inferno (2002)
Instrumentation: for piano solo
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Le Château de Cène (2003)
Instrumentation: for piano, electronics and percussion
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Sans mots (2003)
Instrumentation: for piano, electronics and percussion
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Etude 1: Ricochet (2004)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
ABOUT SEVEN (2006)
Instrumentation: for violoncello
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Albert (2006)
Instrumentation: for piano, percussion and electronics
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
Le Carnet Scordatura (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, violin, violoncello, percussion and electronics
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
In the Dunes (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, violin, violoncello, percussion and electronics
Duration: 20' 00" Manuscript
The Charlier Cut (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Downward Dog (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Inscordatura (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
October 08 (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Pendulum (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
To Fly, to Steal (2008)
Instrumentation: for piano, double bass and percussion