"Exemplary contemporary solo pieces will serve as the basis for an exploration of posture, technical aspects, multiphonics, micro tones etc.
Playing techniques will be examined in group work and there will be room for intensive discussions of the contemporary and the more traditional saxophone repertoire." (Marcus Weiss)

Marcus Weiss was born 1961 in Basel, Switzerland. He studied classical saxophone at the Musikhochschule of his home town with Iwan Roth and also at Northwestern University of Chicago with Frederick L. Hemke. He is one of the most demanded saxophone players in contemporary music and contributes a lot to the development of a completely new repertory for his instrument.
He teaches saxophone and chamber music at the Musikhochschule Basel.
In the last ten years he has premiered more than a hundred works for either solo saxophone, chamber music or saxophone concertos. Composers, such as Georges Aperghis, John Cage, Helmut Lachenmann, Salvatore Sciarrino, Vinko Globokar, Manuel Hidalgo, Elliott Sharp, Brice Pauset, Stefano Gervasoni and many others wrote pieces for him. He has played as a soloist with different European orchestras, as well as with the leading ensembles of contemporary music, such as Ensemble Modern, the Klangforum Wien and Ensemble recherche, and is a regular guest at festivals throughout the world.
Recently he tours with his two chamber groups (Trio Accanto with Nicolas Hodges, before that with Yukiko Sugawara, and Christian Dierstein, and Xasax, a contemporary ensemble of four saxophonists) and also plays solo programs including his own improvised music.

Marcus Weiss will be present at impuls from February 11th to 22nd. He will teach saxophone together with Lars Mlekusch, who will be present from the very beginning.