A German composer born July 13, 1979 in Bremen.
Alexander Schubert began his studies with an apprenticeship of the piano and the guitar. He studied computing and the cognitive sciences at the University of Leipzig (2002-2006) then turned towards studying multimedia composition with Georg Hajdu and Manfred Stahnke at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg, where he obtained a master’s degree (2010). He continued his research work for a thesis on composition from gestural sensors.
Schubert combines different musical genres (hardcore, free jazz, techno) with contemporary concepts and explores all the crossovers between acoustic and electronic music. He accords great importance to corporal and gestural performance, the musician’s gesture becoming a choreography that triggers and modifies electroacoustic components. His works draw from various artistic disciplines (music, video, multimedia…), technological innovations and other theatrical and traditional cultures in order to give greater expression to live music. Schubert often stages his videos, becoming both actor and manipulator of the dramaturgy. He offers spectators veritable scenic, visual and sensorial experiences that are often not lacking in corrosive humour. His works include Your fox's a dirty gold for solo performer with voice, movement sensors, electric guitar and live electronics, first performed by Frauke Aulbert at the Klangwerktage Festival in Hamburg (2011); Scanners for string quintet and electronics, first performed by the ensemble Resonanz (2013); Star me Kitten for female singer, flexible ensemble, video and electronics, first performed by Sound Initiative (2015); Black Mirror, concert-installation for ensemble, lights, video and electronics, first performed by the ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin at the Rainy Days Festival in Luxembourg (2016); Codec error for double bass, percussionists and light, first performed by the Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Théâtre de Gennevilliers (2017); Control, participative installation (2018); Unity switch, performative, interactive and virtual installation, commissioned by the Defun Ensemble and the festival Time of Music (2019).
Alexander Schubert also takes part in varied projects as a performer, programmer and organiser. He is notably a founder member of the Decoder Ensemble, and he devised and organised the festival of electronic music Ahorfelder (Leipzig), also directing the contemporary music label of the same name. Since 2011 he has taught live electronics at the Lübeck Conservatory where he is in charge of the electronics studio.
