Anna Koch is travelling the world with her family and her bass clarinet.
Everywhere she goes, the Austrian musician tries to 'join the dots' linking her musical culture with the music of the host country.
Austrian clarinettist Anna Koch Photo: Sebastian Schmid
So far, that odyssey has taken her through the Americas and now to Aotearoa, where she'll be joining musical dots with local composers Dylan Lardelli and Reuben Jelleyman, and taonga pūoro practitioner Ariana Tikao, in two concerts: one in Christchurch on 8 March the other in Auckland on 16 March.
Tikao and Koch haven't played together yet. In fact, when she spoke with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump, Koch had only just met Tikao online. But given that improvisation is at the heart of Koch's approach to music making, that's not a problem.
The musical dot that joined Koch and Tikao is the composer Jelleyman, who Koch met when he was working and living in Vienna.
Ariana Tikao, bringing the taonga pūoro. Photo: Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts
When Koch contacted Jelleyman to organise some concerts while she was in New Zealand, he suggested Tikao come along for the ride.
"I'm really excited about this opportunity," says Koch, who's been travelling with her partner and their son since September.
When not making music with locals, Koch loves playing outdoors and – thanks to her partner's photo and videographic skills – she has some delightful short movies to show for it, including Walking Fish recorded when she was in the USA.
Those of you with sharp ears might recognise Koch's quoting of another fishy piece of music: Schubert's song "Die Forelle" (The Trout). And if you're up on your mid-20th century composers, you might even spot a bit of Stockhausen.
Koch sees herself as a contemporary musician, but her musical roots go back to the folk tunes of her Austrian homeland: polkas and ländlers.
But she's not averse to using modern technology. Take this video Playground which features Anna playing along to a loop pedal recording of herself.
Crump noted how much her bass clarinet reminded him of the indigenous Australian didgeridoo.
"Coincidence," says Koch, although she's looking forward to acquainting herself with the instrument when she heads over the Tasman.
But the bass clarinet has a body very much like a didgeridoo, and if you remove the clarinet's mouthpiece and blow straight into the barrel of the instrument, it pretty much is a didgeridoo.
Anna Koch with her other clarinet, the one she left back in Austria. Photo: Sebastian Schmid
In the meantime, Koch is making the most of what New Zealand has to offer, with plans to do some voluntary work on an organic farm as well as performing.
And when she does make it to the concert hall, expect plenty of improvising, and some audience participation.
For example, for her Auckland Arts Festival gig at Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery in West Auckland, she's already planning to move around the space, including up and down the lift.
As her videos suggest, don't expect Koch to stick to the one stage.
Austrian clarinettist Anna Koch with RNZ host Bryan Crump Photo: Sebastian Schmid
