Benjamin Coyte
Violoncello
About the Artist
Benjamin Coyte is a performer and interpreter of contemporary music. He is interested in the broad diversity of the modern sound arts and the multitude of expression available on (and off) the cello. As a chamber musician he works in various settings to perform modern “classics” of contemporary music. Improvisation and interdisciplinary performance are also frequent parts of his work.
Of particular interest to Benjamin Coyte is the creation of new works through commissions. As a competent organizer Benjamin Coyte finds himself heavily involved in the planning, conceptualizing and execution of various such experimental projects. Particularly through his work as part of the latenz ensemble (Switzerland) and ensemble semblance (France) he is heavily involved in the creative development of new pieces in close collaboration with a diverse group of young composers.
Benjamin Coyte is also interested in making contemporary music more accessible to new audiences by creating a space for contextualized encounters with contemporary music. One method of particular interest is by showing the inner workings of practice as a contemporary music specialist. Through livestreams of his practice sessions on Twitch, he explains his process of learning and interpreting contemporary music to the audience and guides them on which sounds to listen for and what effects are intended based on the musical score.
Reflection
Twelve Compositions to reflect on 50 years of musical progress
In 1976, Mistislav Rostropovich commissioned twelve composers, twelve titans of his time, to write new works for solo cello for the 70th birthday of the renowned patron of music Paul Sacher. Through these commissions the "Sacher Variations" arose, a cycle of works based on the tone row eS(E♭)-A-C-H(B♮)-E-Re(D♮). Several of these pieces are considered classics of the cello repertoire and offer an interesting cross-section of 20th century compositional styles.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of these works, a new series of twelve solo pieces for cello will be created as a "reflection" on Paul Sacher and the changes in society, culture, and contemporary music fifty years later. These works are a counterpoint to the Sacher Variations: since the pieces in the 1976 cycle were composed exclusively by men, the new composition commissions go to twelve non-male composers of varying styles and techniques from a broad and diverse international base.
Reflection will develop over the coming years in close collaboration between the twelve composers and cellist Benjamin Coyte for performances from 2026. Considering the size and importance of this project, the process of creation is being closely documented. Sketches, photographs, videos, audio recordings as well as self-reflections and texts about the creation and artistic processes for each work and the project as a whole are being collected and organized for publishing after the premieres; allowing the context of these works to be maintained and available to future generations of musicologists and performers.