Biography
Holger Maik Mertin
- Born 1977 in Olpe am Biggesee (Deutschland)
- Highschool St. Franziskus Gymnasium, Olpe (06.1996)
- Musical Civil Service
- Civil service with a focus on music with the youth organisation “Offene Tür” at the “Lorenz-Jäger-Haus”, Olpe (09.1996 – 10.1997)
- Studium:
- Masters Project: “The Davul drum in the Turkish Music life in Cologne”
- Graduated with the title Masters ofArts (01. 2006)
- Erasmus Scholarship at the „School for Oriental and African Studies“, England – London
- Focus:Practical- Music studies (10. 2002 – 07. 2003)
- Studies in Music Ethnology /Sociology/Philosophy/Music Therapy at the University Cologne
- Focus: Turkish Rhythm, Afrikan rhythm systems, South-East Asian music, Western popular music (04.1999 – 01.2006)
- Masters Studies at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main
- (Fields of study: Sociology, Philosophy, Music Studies) (10.1997 – 03.1999)
Miscellaneous Music Lessons:
- Drum and percussion lessons with / including: Sanju Sahei, Bejnam Samani, Spyrie Karas, Rhani Krija, Keith Carlock, Mino Cinelu, Ismail Tarlan, Saw Eisenhauer, Samson Gassama, Dirk Seiler
- Along with: attending countless percussion/Drum-Workshops
Artistic Nominations / Prizes
- Nominated for best new production 2014 in “Opern Welt” for “Djaizad Al Salam – Friedenspreis” with Musikdebatte Köln
Musical Director: DAAD-Projekts “Die Atlas-Werkstätten von Agdz Marokko”
- A model region for the knowledge-cultural dialogue in an interdisciplinary and intercultural research project
- Partner: University for Music and Dance, Cologne: Technical University Cologne, University for Multidisciplinarity Ouarzazate (Marokko), and the University for Science and Technology Errachidia (Morocco) (2016 – 2018)
Authors a regularly occurring column/workshop for the trade magazine “STICKS”.
- Numbering over 100 articles for the percussion magazine “Sticks”.
- Theme: Percussion Instrumentarium, special focus on “Cajon” (2007 – 2017)
Lecturer for “Practical Musical Studies” at the University for Music and Dance Cologne
- transdisciplinary development for new playing techniques and forms of expression in music and dance CCD (Center for Contemporary Dance) (2010 – 03.2019)
Founder and Co-Director of the inclusive oriented ensemble “Green Drums Velbert”
- Cooperation project with the Trade-Highschool Kastanienalle and the Music and Arts School Velbert (2013)
„Modes of Presentification“ -inter/trans-disciplinary Cologne Research Platform
- At the crossroads of music/dance/sport/humanities – Labor phase with work in progress showing: “Blutgrätsche” (2013 – 2014)
Musician/Initiator/Director of Concert-/ Performance Series „Drums And More“
- Point of departure: a committed trans-disciplinary artistic dialogue with varying guests form diverse fields of art in mostly small ensembles and primarily duos.
- This includes internationally recognised artists such as Milan Sladek (Pantomime), Hayden Chisholm (saxophone), Jaki Liebezeit (World Drumkit)
- Locations: Salon Freiraum Köln, Kulturhaus Osterfeld Pforzheim, Historisches Bürgerhaus Neviges, Kloster Blieskastel (seit 2009)
Artistic Research Format at the HfMT Köln at the intersection of Dance and Music
- including team teaching together with Prof. Nina Hähnel at CCD (Center for Contemporary Dance), in the Masters study program Dance Dissemination (2010 – 2014)
- as well as „Movement Research“ with Douglas Bateman und Flavia Tabarrini
Performances with Music/Dance-Duo „InProjekt“ in Israel and Germany (2008)
- Performances in Tel Aviv with following research-travel to Jerusalem and Haifa- musical performances with Liron Man (Hang)
Endorser and Instrument Developer
- for the instrument production firm “Meinl Percussion”, “Tres Lados Percussion”, “Konklang”, “Afroton”, “Hess Klangkonzepte”
- ex. the Signature Stick “H. M. Capstick” or the “Bodenreiber” (2008)
Lecturer for “Bodypercussion” at the Rheinische Music School Cologne
- Department “Dance” (pre-education Dance) (2006)
(Studies)- Residency in Barbados
- Music research and Work as live and studio musician with: Mike Cheesman (Git.), andre Donawa (Bass), Wayne Poonka Willock (perc.) Mr. Impact (Steelpan) (2006)
- Transdisciplinary Workshop at German Sports University Cologne. (2019)
- Scholarship of German Kunststiftung NRW as artist in residency in Istanbul for three months. (2020)
- Soundart Composition “der transformierende Raum” for WDR Radio. (2020)
Web-Video-Tutorial-Series “Small-Percussion”
- Conception and Realisation/video recurring for: Musikmachen.de, Meinl und STICKS (2012)
Saarpfälzische Sommer Academy Blieskastel (2008 – 2013)
- Workshops on the theme “Improvisation” “Body music”, “Cajon” 2008 – 2013
“I’m Crazy But That’s Okay” student dance/film/music Project
- interdisciplinary project with the Cologne „Kaiserin Augusta School“ (2007 – 2008)
Percussion-Workshop at the Politischen Academy Biggesee (1997)
“IAK” (Institute for Practical Creativity)
- Creativity workshops (Creative development through creativity and participant in Think Tanks)
Dance/Music -Workshop mit Prof. Martin Sonderkamp at the Leverkusener Bayer-Foundation
- with students of the ZZT (dance dissemination) for school children
“Käptn’ Book” Bonn in the German Museum Bonn
- a multi year cooperative work in the Thematic field “musical sound research” for children
“Kinder Kunst Kinder”-Street Festival Bonn
- a participatory sound parcours / first improvisations techniques
Bodymusic-Workshop in Gaines Spain
- Workshop at the Percussion-Festival in Gaines (Spanien) (2014)
Workshop in Tansania
- Percussion-Workshop on the theme of „universal-playing techniques“ in NGO- funded Music School in the capital city Dar es Salam (2013)
2017 – 2013
- Solist with WDR Radio Orchestra (Fazil Say: Grand Bazar & Violinen Konzert) (2017)
- Solo-Performance at Cologne City Dance (Mouvier, Stephanie Thiersch) (2016)
- “Mitumba” – intercultural Dance/Music-Happening of the Cologne Dance Company Mouvier with European and East African Musicians/Dancers/Choreographers – exchange project with performances in Germany (i.e. ZKM Karlsruhe, Tanzhaus NRW Düsseldorf) and Tanzania, Kenia (2013 – 2015)
- Improvisation soloist with Nürnberger Staatsphilharmonie within a trans-disciplinary Concert „Phil & Chill“ (2014)
- Solo– and Duo-Performance at the Percussion-Festival in Gaines (Alicante), Spanien (2014)
- “Djaizad Al Salam – Friedenspreis” – intercultural chamber opera – co-composer and Musician – including in the Cologne Trinity Church (2014)
2012 – 2005
- Solo-performances and workshops at the Frankfurt Music Trade Fair (2010 – 2012)
- Solo-Performance at the „Meinl Drum Festival“ (2010)
- Musician with the Playhouse/Theater Cologne in the work “Robin Hood” totalling over 50 performances (2008/2009)
- improvised Stage Performance with japanese Butoh-Dancers and jazz musicians at Cologne’s Theater im Hof (2005)
Numerous television recordings and involved in film productions such as:
Percussion-Solist with the WDR Rundfunkorchester
- German Premier of Fazil Says „Grand Bazar“ (2017)
Composed/Played in the WDR Hörfunk-Produktion
- 14 Diaries from WW1 (2017)
Solo-Musician in the Film-Dance-Project “I’m Crazy But That’s OK”
- and the eponymous documentary – Regisseur: Berlinale-Prize winner Ali Samadi Ahadi (2008)
Member of the „Mike Cheeseman Band“ / Televised recording in Barbados
- for the CBC (Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation) on the Caribbean island nation of Barbados (Lesser Antilles) (2006)
ZDF / 31. Evangelischer Church Day/Cologne
- Duo with the Dancer Robina Steyer at the “Erotic Mass” (Karthäuserkirche/Cologne (2007)
Musical performer in the dance film “Zwischenwelten”
- by Parisa Karimi (Cologne) (2007)
Ensemble member for the film music for “Hein Fach”
- An matriculation performance-project at the “Academy of Media Arts Cologne”
- direction: Sebastian Poerschke, music: Maciej Sledziecki (2004)
Musikvideo “Student party” (music and performance)
- to the eponymous Solo-Percussion-Program, Directior: Vicky Peveling, Berlin (2004)
Musical performer in a short film project
- by Tetsu Okada, London (2003)
Film music, in collaboration with Holger Schmeer
- for the short film “New York noctem” by Michael Wagner, Siegen (1998)
Interviewer of international professional drummers and percussionists
- for the trade journal “STICKS” from 2008 – 2013
Author for „IZ“ – trade journal for instrument making
- regular publications for the journal on the themes of drum kit and percussion (2007 – 2012)
Freelance edition for the T.V. and Radio Jazz program
- for the WDR-Cologne (2000 – 2010)
Concert-Reviewer and editing team
- for the daily newspaper „Westfälische Rundschau“ (local edition Olpe) (1999 – 2006)
Orchestra-Sound-Body
- WDR Rundfunkorchester Cologne (2017)
- Cologne’s Barockorchester (CBO) 2016
- Nürnberger Staatsphilharmonie (2014)
Artistic Collectives / Dance-Companies / Theater
- Harake Dance Company (Berlin 2019)
- Ballett Theater Pforzheim (since 2017)
- Mouvier Dance Company (2013, 2014, 2016)
- Musikdebatte Köln (2014)
- State Theater Trier – Production Equilibrium (Cooperation- Exchange project-Project with Theater Luxemburg und Theater Bytom, Polen) (2012)
- Theater House Köln (Winter Program 2008 and 2009)
Musicians
- Jaki Liebezeit (World Drumkit – “Can”)
- Jonas Burgwinkel (Jazzdrums)
- Hayden Chisholm (Saxophon, Clarinette)
- Paul Shigihara (Guitar – “WDR Big Band Köln”)
- Gerd Dudek (Saxophon)
- Ali Haurand (Double Bass – “European Jazz Ensemble”)
- AnnenMayKantereit
- Eberhard Kranemann (ex “Kraftwerk”)
- DJ Marcelle (Amsterdam)
- Yoichiro Kita (“Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra”)
- Maria Jonas (Renaissance-Vocal Song)
- Schälsick Brassband
- Oliver Steller (Lyricist)
- “Tricycle Experiment” (Afro-Rock Formation / London)
- “The London Royal Thai music circle”
- Wayne “Poonka” Willock (Percussion – Barbados)
- Michael Cheeseman (Guitar – Barbados)
- Mr Impact (Steelpandrum – Barbados)
- Walter L. Mik (Speaker)
- Alessandro Palmitessa (“PEM” – Saxophon)
- Cosimo Erario (“PEM” – Guitar)
- “Voice in the Attic” with Chris Boge
- Hinz und Kunz (Music-Caberet)
- Steve Ouma Band (Afro-Beat)
- Dominik Schneider (Baroque flutes)
Dancers / Performing Artists
- Milan Sladek
- Jan Burkhard
- Martin Sonderkamp
- Kojiro Imada
- Kazue Ikeda
- Heide Tegeder
- Nina Hähnel
- Yukino Nono
- Michal Hirsch
- Yoshi Shebahara
- Mayumi Fukuzaki
- Reveriano Camill
- Maher Abdou Moaty
- Vera Sander
- Phuong Tuong
- Rick Kam
Own
- 2017 Holger Mertin – Michael Koko Eberli – Marco Riederer “The Immersive Project” – Spezialmaterial (Zürich)
- 2015 Jaki Liebezeit – Holger Mertin “Aksak” – Staubgold 2014
- 2008 MÄÄr “Lila” – EPG Records
as Sideman
- 2016 Cölner Barockorchester “Towards Heaven” Coviello Classics”
- 2015 Oliver Steller Quintett “Best Of” Naxos-Records
- 2015 Klangwart “Transit”, Staubgold
- 2014 DJ Marcelle “Another Nice Mess Meets Most Soulmates. At Faust Studio Deejay Laboratory”, [Vinyl LP,] Klangbad Records
- 2014 DJ Marcelle “Another Nice Mess III / Meets Further Soulmates” [Vinyl LP], 2012, Klangbad Records
- 2011 Voice in the Attic “Shark Rider” cdbaby.com
- 2011 Arnd Sprung Trio “Lucid Impressions”, Westpark Records
- 2006 Cosimo Erario: “Mille Oceani”, 2006, EGP Records
© 2020 Holger Maik Mertin. All rights reserved.