Zinc & Copper was founded by tuba player and composer Robin Hayward in 2005. A trio of horn, trombone and microtonal tuba forms the basis for a variable ensemble of brass instruments, distinguished by its innovative and pioneering approach.
The development of microtonal valve systems enables unprecedented exploration of tuning systems on brass instruments, connecting both to western experimental music traditions and non-western traditions such as Maqam. Using distorted embouchure and experimental valve techniques, the instruments may be transformed into acoustic noise generators. Half-valve and muting techniques allow for an acoustic filtering of the tone, opening up a wide colour spectrum.
In the time of Giovanni Gabrieli, long before modern valved brass instruments were invented, the brass ensemble had equal standing to other chamber music ensembles. By researching alternative approaches towards playing, Zinc & Copper is exploring the potential of the medium in the 21st century.
The tuba player and composer Robin Hayward, born in Brighton, England in 1969, has been based in Berlin since 1998. He has introduced radical playing techniques to brass instruments, initially through the discovery of the 'noise-valve', and later through the development of the first fully microtonal tuba in 2009. In 2012 he invented the Hayward Tuning Vine, partly as a visualization of the harmonic space implicit within the microtonal tuba. In 2005 he founded the ensemble Zinc & Copper to explore brass chamber music from an experimental music perspective.
Elena Margarita Kakaliagou is a Greek-Austrian french horn player and performer, currently based in Berlin. She studied in Athens/GR with Vangelis Skouras, KUG-Graz/AT with Hector McDonald and Sibelius Academy/FI with Erja Joukamo-Ampuja. After receiving scholarships from Klangforum, Impuls and Ensemble Modern, she specialized in contemporary music with main focuses the microtonal and free improvised music. She is a member of the trio PARA, zeitkratzer, the duo Kakaliagou/Scchmoliner,RANK ensemble, P.O.P. and Stefan Schultze´s large ensemble. Elena has performed premieres as a soloist and member of Ensembles including Ensemble Linea, Unitedberlin and others, in Festivals like Maerz Music/DE, Ultima/NY, Randspiele/DE, Musica Nova/FI, Musica/FR, Warsaw Autumn/PL, Kaleidophon/AT, City of Women/SL, Sound Live/JA , MULTIVERSAL, among others. Some of the artists she has worked with and is influenced by are Riikka Innanen, Eliane Radigue, Samuel Stoll, James Andean, Matias Guerra, Katharina Klement, CC Hennix, Thomas Noll and others.
Yorgos Dimitriadis (drums)
Rozemarie Hegger (double bass)