Mela Meierhans

1961

Growing up surrounded by contemporary music and abstract painting, Mela Meierhans was greatly influenced by life in her family home. Her fundamental design interests include complexity and openness, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of interactive scores in the areas of music, dance, film, performance, theatre, installation and architecture. Her works have centred around musical theatre / music in (public) space since 2003. Mela has been working on her "Jenseitstrilogie" since 2006, the emphasis of which is on burial rites. The first part of this trilogy "Tante Hänsi", with its focus on Central Switzerland, was world premiered in 2006. Part two "Rithaa", with its focus on Egypt, is due for completion in 2010 and part three, with its focus on Israel, is due to be finished in 2012.
Mela was a guest composer at the 'Elektronischen Studio der Musik-Akademie Basel' from 1998 until 2000. She has won various prizes and received commissions for her work from MaerzMusik Berlin, Theaterfabrik Gera, Staatsoper Hannover, Lucerne Festival, Festival del Centro Histórico de Mexico City, Experimentale Leipzig, Gare du Nord Basel, Berliner Kompositionsaufträge, Sinfonieorchester Basel, The Roosevelt Ensemble Washington, basel sinfonietta, Klangwerkstatt Berlin and the Tage für Live Elektronik Basel. She has also created audio designs for Schweizer Radio DRS 2 and Pro Helvetia.
In 2008, Mela founded the dialogue ensemble, a pool of musicians as much at home playing folk music on classical and traditional instruments as they are in the world of improvisation.
Mela Meierhans has lived and worked in Berlin and Basel since 2000, and in Vaux la Douce (F) since 1988.

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