Programme:
Fausto Romitelli: Professor Bad Trip, Lessons I and II
Musical breach
Fausto Romitelli: Professor Bad Trip, Lessons III
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Aganis – music for glass, water & electronics
RotorMotor with Ictus percussion duo (Tom De Cock & Gerrit Nulens)
RotorMotor – author DJ set with visual accompaniment VJ BubblesFractals

The Belgian ensemble Ictus is a musical collective dedicated to creating experimental music, including contemporary compositions, sound art, improvisation, and electronic music. Founded in 1994 as the accompanying band for the Rosas dance company, Ictus has since collaborated regularly with various curators, choreographers, and musical groups such as the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra and Collegium Vocale Gent. In addition, the ensemble realizes its own musical projects in a variety of formats. In 2023, Ictus received the award for Best Performance at the Venice Biennale of Contemporary Music for its rendition of Romitelli’s Professor Bad Trip. The composition draws inspiration from the works of Henri Michaux, created under the influence of hallucinogens, the paintings of Francis Bacon, and the comic strips of Gianluca Lerici. The piece also features elements of psychedelic rock, techno, and Jimi Hendrix-style guitar solos.
Luka Lah and Nejc Pucko, better known as RotorMotor, have been conquering clubs in France, Austria, Italy, Croatia, and Slovakia in recent years with their convincing synergy as a DJ duo. Their breakthrough onto the electronic music scene began in Ljubljana and Maribor clubs, where they still love to perform today. Their exceptional dedication to music creation quickly propelled them to the forefront of the Slovenian club scene. “The motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, while the rotor transforms motion into heat,” they often describe themselves.

• The name RotorMotor derives from the period when the duo were mainly playing Italo disco. It symbolises the sound of arpeggiated basslines, the repetitiveness of which reminded them of the sound of an engine – reflecting their philosophy of operating like “a well-oiled machine” running at high revs.
• Onstage, Nejc and Luka favour a back-to-back technique, taking turns to mix tracks in real time. This creates a dynamic and unpredictable set, with each DJ bringing his own unique approach and energy, which then complement each other.
• One interesting story from the early days of Ictus involves an encounter with legendary composer Steve Reich, on an occasion when they were having trouble with their microphones. This experience greatly influenced their approach to contemporary music, since they began to look at equipment as an important part of their musical expression.
• The ensemble has collaborated regularly with distinguished composers such as Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez and Louis Andriessen, in this way making an important contribution to the development of contemporary music.
• Dominic Sambucco is the creator of AGANiS, a piece in which sounds are generated in real time using aquariums, synthesisers, hydrophones and other innovative instruments. The performance connects sound, light and movement and is inspired by the aquatic nymphs of Alpine mythology, resulting in a mysterious experience where sound and technology combine.