In March 2026, we celebrated the 7th anniversary of the Rathaus für Kultur. The festivities combined open studios, a walk-through concert, live music by Dino Brandao, and food from MAJO. 

For the 7th birthday, I commissioned a piece for an ensemble by the composer Nik Bärtsch. 

The idea was to give Bärtsch the task of creating new music for an ensemble that was not yet set - the piece should be playable for beginner musicians as well as advanced amateurs. 

The vision was to combine artistic excellence with accessibility and allow musicians of all skills to have a meaningful experience while participating. It was based around the notion projects that combine artistic quality with accessibility, viewing mediation and audience engagement not as additions to artistic work, but as integral parts. 

We had two ensembles ready for the development of the performance; Ensemble25, headed by Hermann Ostendarp, which consists of young amateur musicians between 14 an 18 years old, as well as the batti tutto ensemble, who’s members are between 8 and 14 years old. 

The highlight of the event was the walk-through concert, Modular Community Piece for the 7th Birthday at the Rathaus, composed especially for the occasion by Zurich-based pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch. Building on a format that was first introduced during the previous anniversary celebration, the concert brought together Ensemble25, Batti-Tutto, and volunteer musicians from the region.

Musicians were positioned throughout the entire building, allowing me to move freely between rooms and experience different layers, textures, and acoustic perspectives of the composition. The approximately 30-minute performance transformed the Rathaus into a living musical landscape, where architecture and sound interacted in unique ways.

Nik Bärtsch is internationally known for his distinctive style that blends jazz, minimal music, and funk. His concept of “Ritual Groove Music” is based on repetition, precision, and focused energy, creating an intense and almost trance-like listening experience. The modular composition reflected these qualities and offered a fascinating collective musical experience that emphasized both individual contributions and the power of the ensemble.