Composer, pianist and producer Martin Kohlstedt talks to Caro C about his approach to combining piano and electronic instruments, improvisation in the studio and on stage, plus the work he is doing to reduce the carbon footprint of touring.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:42 - Combining Piano And Electronics
05:10 - Organic, Improvised Performances
09:29 - Incorporating The Voice Into Recordings
10:23 - Favoured Hardware Choices
12:56 - Touring Equipment
15:54 - Selecting A Live Team
17:10 - The Recording Process
20:14 - Launching The Edition Kohlstedt Label
23:39 - Film, TV and Other Commissions
25:11 - The Process Of Collaboration
27:14 - The Influenced Of Nature
30:15 - Supporting Ecological Projects
32:07 - Planning The Touring Schedule
35:52 - Kinship With Other Artists
Martin Kohlstedt Biog
Martin Kohlstedt is a composer, pianist and producer known for his work in instrumental music and electronica. His albums, including Tag and Nacht, Strom, Ströme, Flur and Feld, along with their respective reworks, have earned international recognition and led to global concert tours.
Kohlstedt’s music blends electronica with acoustic and analogue elements, incorporating classical piano, ambient sounds, field recordings, and score design. His work is characterised by the seamless integration of diverse influences and soundscapes. Whether performing at festivals, in intimate piano concerts, or creating movie scores, his music is dynamic and immersive, evolving in real-time during live performances.
He describes his approach as modular composition, where his pieces are never fixed. Improvisation plays a key role in his process and he values audience interaction, the freedom to experiment and to collaborate with people, spaces and contexts. Throughout his career, Kohlstedt has worked with notable partners such as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Choir, artists like Douglas Dare and Sudan Archives and labels including Warner Classics. In addition to his own compositions, he creates music and scores for films, plays, podcasts and audiobooks. Kohlstedt also runs his own label, Edition Kohlstedt that supports a reforestation project near his hometown.
Caro C Biog
Caro C is an artist, engineer and teacher specialising in electronic music. Her self-produced fourth album 'Electric Mountain' is out now. Described as a "one-woman electronic avalanche" (BBC), Caro started making music thanks to being laid up whilst living in a double decker bus and listening to the likes of Warp Records in the late 1990's. This 'sonic enchantress' (BBC Radio 3) has now played in most of the cultural hotspots of her current hometown of Manchester, UK. Caro is also the instigator and project manager of electronic music charity Delia Derbyshire Day.
Twitter: @carocsound
Inst: @carocsound
FB: https://www.facebook.com/carocsound/
Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts