Ueli Derendinger (shakuhachi)
Balthasar Streiff (alphorn)
The shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese flute, has certain similarities to the alphorn: both are simple wooden mono-phone wind instruments manufactured from locally sourced materials, i.e. bamboo and fir wood. Furthermore, the shakuhachi and the alphorn are considered to be the national instrument of Japan and Switzerland respectively. However, the images which both wind instruments conjure up in their respective home countries could not be more different: while the alphorn represents a simple, traditional lifestyle, the shakuhachi is seen as an instrument of the aristocracy. Balthasar Streiff (*1963) and Ueli Derendinger (*1954) will unite the large traditional folk music instrument and the small flute. In collaboration with the sound artist Lukas Rohner (*1961), the musical heritage of the two nations will blend together, creating a surprisingly new soundscape.
