DISSOLVING BOUNDARIES (2023)

Premiering at the transdisciplinary festival PAKT mit/with IRMA, Dissolving Boundaries is a transformative collaboration between performer Ilmārs Šterns and pianist Ursula Hofmann. The work reimagines the piano not as a static instrument, but as a kinetic partner, shattering traditional boundaries through sound and movement.

The duo redefines performance by engaging with the piano’s inner workings—playing directly on the strings and incorporating body percussion. Meticulously choreographed gestures mirror the instrument’s resonance, transforming physical motion into a visceral element of the soundscape. Skin, breath, and voice merge with the piano’s mechanical deconstruction to create a symphony of tactile sound.

By introducing wheeled mobility and deconstructed metallic components, the performers navigate a reimagined landscape where the distinction between body and instrument vanishes. The piece invites the audience into an immersive harmony, witnessing the profound dissolution of artistic constraints.