Iris ter Schiphorst
• as a composer, Iris ter Schiphorst is influenced by years of experience as a classical pianist, a bass player, percussionist, keyboard player and sound engineer in various rock and pop bands
• the large list of her works encompasses all genres
• studied theatre and culture studies and philosophy in Berlin and attended classes with Dieter Schnebel, Luigi Nono and Helga de la Motte
• concurrently, she worked intensively with electronical music and sample techniques (1992 first prize in the third composition competition for synthesizer and computer music)
• in the late eighties, she became a co-founder of the association ‘zeit-Musik’
• her compositions from that period centre mainly around the relation between manuscript and sound
• 1990 founded the electro-acoustic ensemble intrors, with which Iris ter Schiphorst received an award at the international composition competition BLAUE BRÜCKE
• 2001 shortlisted for the Prix Italia for her orchestral piece Hundert Komma Null
• Iris ter Schiphorst’s works have been performed at numerous internationals festivals
• since 2013 member of the Berlin Academy of Arts
• 2015–2022 professor for Media Composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna
• 2015 Heidelberger Künstlerinnenpreis
• 2024 German Music Author's Prize
Works by Iris ter Schiphorst include:
Assange – Fragments of an Un-time (2019) for voice, ensemble and sampler
The Goose Girl (2009) Opera for young audiences
Zerstören (2005) for ensemble
Hundert Komma Null (1999) Ballad for orchestra
Looking Ahead: performance of Was wird hier eigentlich gespielt? in Luxembourg (Apr) with Salome Kammer and Ensemble ascolta conducted by Catherine Larsen-Maguire; new production of Die Gänsemagd at Hamburg State Opera, directed by Tobias Kratzer (2025/26 season)
"I rather focus on disturbing: Art or music, as an irritation of one's own (apparently secure) perception, feelings etc. I believe that therein lies a possibility to sensitise for others, for the unknown - also in oneself." – Iris ter Schiphorst
Please also visit Iris ter Schiphorst’s homepage at www.iris-ter-schiphorst.de
