On 14th of February Vollmaier (pre)premiered a new composition at MENT titled Vollmaier:Error.
It was once again performed as a single movement, a format he has been refining over the past few years.
exploring form and musical dramaturgy, Vollmaier integrates electronic elements into the acoustic sound of the piano, proposing new directions and alternative solutions in its expression.
On 30th of August we created a performance,
solo piano concert in the gravel pit called Marald-Marsel
in Radlje ob Dravi, with a support of Cultural Association Radlje,
Ministry of Culture Slovenia, ArsFest and Yamaha
"From forests and autumn pastures,
from glaciers and from yellow wheat,
it should flow through all the senses
into our life, strength, spirit, meaning, value."
(H. Hesse)
A new project, piano recital* premiered on
11th of April 2023 in Gallus hall of Cankarjev dom (SI).
Vollmaier invites his closest collaborators.
They created an audio/visual performance,
which is based on Ligeti's and Beuys's work.
On 7th of April 2023, Vollmaier releases a single,
which is a part of "Vollmaier:Ligeti" piano recital.
Vollmaier's artistic contribution has been noted
at one of the world's renowned piano manufactors
(and other musical instruments) - Yamaha.
Release date: 19/06/2020
Genre: Contemporary classic
Formats: CD / Vinyl / Digital
Label: Nika
Listen
Buy LP
Buy CD
"The piano ain't got no wrong notes."
Thelonious Monk
"Agree with that. But Laibach ain’t got no right notes either."
Laibach
Imagine what it would be to carve out a piano classic from the 'industrial' monolithic Laibach sound structure. Vollmaier does not tackle this challenge, as one might expect, through preparation or electronic interventions, but by seeking inspiration from the virtuoso pianists Glenn Gould and Vladimir Horowitz, as well as in one of his professors (formerly an associate of the Laibach band as well) Aci Bertoncelj. He is faithful to the original music by testing the extreme limits of both the
performer and instrument. Laibach's linear rigor breaks precisely with industrial precision and physical perseverance, but the final result is, surprisingly, even more monolithic, though an absolutely subtle structure, woven only with the black and white keys of an elegant machine, a concert piano which is for Vollmaier larger than life.
link: concert at 61. Jazz festival Ljubljana in Cankarjev dom (short version, 30min)
(Kind of Laibach was prepared and rehearsed in Japan piano center in Ljubljana)
Sašo Vollmaier (1982), pianist, composer, performer, voice teacher
Vollmaier graduated from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 2008. In 2003 he meets "Pantheatre" (Paris, FR). This collaboration opened new area and possibilities about the voice work which he followed after as an accompanist for singers, worked in Slovene National Theatre in Maribor - opera department, teaching in different musical institutions and playing with several musicians in different musical formations.
He joined the Slovenian avant-garde music group Laibach in 2007 - 2013 as a keyboard player. The experience with Laibach was crucial in understanding the elements of the industrial music, curiosity about politics, awareness of oneself and the opportunity to express himself in this particular musical genre.
In 2013 he moved to France for personal and professional development.
Vollmaier meets Viviane Gay in Paris, an actress&singer with whom he started to create music-theatre-pieces and developing his presence on the stage as performer trough his voice, movement and music.
The voice work brought him to Malérargues (Centre Artistique International Roy Hart) again where he started to give classes, collaborating with other voice teachers and giving the concerts and performances. In the same year he begins the project called "Generation" as a musical director with performers/singers: Kaya Anderson, Carol Mendelsohn, Marianne Le Tron, Ian Magilton, Saule Ryan and David Goldsworthy. This project allowed him to meet the Roy Hart Theatre in terms of the power of the presence, fragility, expression, authenticity, curiosity…
In autumn 2014 he started to teach in Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo (IT) invited by Kevin Crawford, MFA program director. Vollmaier teaches musical aspects, encourages the students to invent their own language, working on presence, voice and movement. This structure allows him to define his direction.
In the same year he started to collaborate with Susanne Weins, giving the voice/movement workshops in Düsseldorf and creating their own theatre productions (Bewegte Oktaven, Fragile Breath, Melancholia,…) most of them directed by Sabine Seume.
He works as a voice teacher & pianist/accompanist mainly in France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Switzerland, Slovenia, ...
"VOZK" is the name of electro-acoustic project created by Izidor Leitinger, Luka Jamnik & Sašo Vollmaier (2013 -20xx).
Vollmaier’s accomplishments include theatre and cartoon scores, choral arrangements, marching orchestras, big bands, playing as a studio musician (Laibach, Bratko Bibič, Silence, Funtango, radio/TV broadcastings,…)
In August 2019 he moves to Slovenia.
His first solo project is inspired by the music/themes from Laibach. Vollmaier created a solo piano piece, called "Kind of Laibach". The album was recorded from 2nd-4th of March (2020) in pianoroom and released by Nika Records.
In May 2021 he adds his interpretation of F. Nietzsche's 'Hymnus an die Freundschaft' to his repertoire.
13th of August 2021 New release - single (video was created by Benjamin Kreže)
Vollmaier : Odsev
YT video
9th of November 2021- he composed and arranged for piano & chamber orcestra, inspired by compositions of Slovene composer Josip Ipavec for a project "Dvakrat Josip" (Prva vrsta) with the members of RTV Slovenia Symphony orchestra. The composition was broadcasted live.
Vollmaier: Če mogel bi (1/3)
YT video
11th of March 2022 New release - single
Vollmaier : Nietzsche
YT link
on 11th of April 2023 Vollmaier premiered his new project called "Vollmaier: Ligeti; How to explain Ligeti to a dead audience" in collaboration with: Komposter, Things I Miss, Luka Jamnik, Marko Turel, Matjaž Bajc, Nika Hölcl. Coproduction: Cankarjev dom.
A couple of days before, on 7th of April, new single "Vollmaier:Feng Cha" was released. The video was created by Komposter.
YT video
Klasje (Wheat) is a (non)classical piano concert where Manca Udovič, Blaž Avsenik and myself have joined together as composers and pianists. Multimedia artist Anja Romih joins the musicians with visualisations. Premiered on 28th of March 2024.
On 14th of February Vollmaier premiered a new composition at MENT titled Vollmaier:Error. It was once again performed as a single movement, a format he has been refining over the past few years. Alongside exploring form and musical dramaturgy, Vollmaier integrates electronic elements into the acoustic sound of the piano, proposing new directions and alternative solutions in its expression.
short CV (Chronological)
Download biography and photos in hi-res for press usage. If using photographs, please credit them with the name of the photographer.
Sašo Vollmaier is performer in the field of performance-art.
His performance includes sound desing on stage with intervetions of movement, spoken word, voice expression.
Vollmaier's last sound concept appeared in performance art week in Venice (Dec 2019), called "Fragile Breath".
Vollmaier works internationally as a voice teacher. It was his passion for voice work that led Sašo to the "Centre Artistique International Roy Hart" (research and study center), where - as Musical Director of the performance Generation, working with founding members of the Roy Hart Theatre - Sašo gained a profound appreciation of the power of presence, fragility, expression, authenticity, and curiosity. These are the core tenets of his teaching today.
He is composing and arranging for different musical, dance and theatre performances. Vollmaier actively collaborates with various musical formations/bands, singers, music enthusiasts and developers.
Vollmaier mostly collaborates with Luka Jamnik (composer&producer).
| Thu, 10 Jul 2025 > Fri, 18 Jul 2025 |
International Summer UniversityAtelier Performative Künste, DüsseldorfWith Susanne Weins, Ralf Peters & Sašo Vollmaier
The Summer University is an invitation to interdisciplinary artists of all levels who want to find It is led by three voice teachers who work in the tradition of Alfred Wolfsohn and Roy Hart. One of the key skills in this tradition is the development of a high level listening ability, which is focused on the potentials of each human voice – in order of heading towards the extended and border breaking expression. Starting with this idea of open listening the three teachers have created their individual approach towards a contemporary vocal art. The summer university offers the chance to engage with a wide and multifaceted range of experiences with the human voice and its use in art. Participants are asked to bring their own project, questions, ideas. |
| Sat, 12 Jul 2025 |
Vollmaier:Kind of Laibach (extended) + Vollmaier:ErrorMPS-STUDIO E.V. Richthofenstrasse 1/1 78048 VS-Villingen Germany
piano solo |
| Tue, 22 Jul 2025 > Sun, 27 Jul 2025 |
The art of interpretationMalérargues, FR
Voice/movement workshop |
| Tue, 5 Aug 2025 > Sun, 10 Aug 2025 |
Move your sound within a musical shapeMalérargues, FR
Voice&movement wotkshop |
News & Events will be sent from Saso Vollmaier's e-mail address & Atelier Performative Künste