Max returns with a new full-length release titled LiberA. This fusion of the feminine and masculine aspects of the Roman god of freedom is very telling. It evokes the notion of pursuing freedoms: personal, civil, musical, and creative. It also speaks to an active engagement with the synthesis of apparent opposites: jazz/classical, synthetic/acoustic, formally restrictive/improvisationally unbound.
LiberAiya is a collaboration between Max Petersen’s Ensemble LiberA and Melody Chua and her Improvisation Machine AIYA. An Installation work with performances by individual members of the LiberA ensemble.
Rahel Zoë Buschor and Hongsoo Kim had set up a choreography for a music video, for which they teamed up with Daniel Barnbeck from DB Mediadesign to create a video-clip. The work, set to a dedicated piece for classical piano trio, features zurichs architecture and scenery.
Transdisciplinary artist Melody Chua animated two videoclips set to computerized pieces on LiberA (2021): “No SM” and “Get Out of Me”.
“Divine Traces”, 2019, QFTF records.
German-Australian pianist Max Petersen takes his listeners on a transformative journey through an audacious amalgam of classical and jazz influences. His new trio explores the tension between a traditionally Western approach to performance and composition, and African American improvisational techniques and rhythmic sensibilities. This mercurial blend of influences guarantees that every single concert is unique.
With pianists Stefan Kägi and Johannes Herrmann I recorded the 24 concert etudes by japanese composer Hikaru Suzuki. Her music and these pieces in particular have a neo-romantic, minimal tone to them.
Max Petersen’s Solo-repertoire includes a range of arrangements of songs from the American song book, original music and classical music. In 2018 he presented his so called “mixtape series” with solo piano music that was released on three limited edition cassettes.
I played Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata’s no. 19 and no. 30 at two concerts in 2020 and improvised classial style cadenzas between the movements.
In April 2020 I recorded Dmitri Shostakovich’s Trio in E-minor (op. 67) along with Violinist Cosima Bodien and Cellist Isabel Gehweiler. More to come from this group! Listen to the recording on Band-Camp.
Isabel Richiusa is a Spanish and Italian rooted Jazz singer from Switzerland currently studying with Lisette Spinnler and before with Marianne Racine. This trio project, in a chamber-music ensemble with Max Petersen on piano and Phelan Burgoyne on drums, moves between influences from different cultures and her perception of the environment’s sounds.
Lukas Mantels sextet record “Vardah”, which features Max Petersen on Rhodes, was presented on challenge records in 2019.
The uniqueness of “Vardah” lies in its archaic freedom and development of a complex structure. That is the reason why this cyclone music leaves a lasting impression and deeply affects you.
Dream Dancing, released 2016 by the Max Petersen Trio on the swiss label Unit Records, was this trio’s second record after releasing an album with songs from the American song book in 2015.
Debut album by the Max Petersen Trio from 2015. This one features mainly standards, songs from the American song book. Fun fact: It was recorded in three hours!
Youthful debut album by a group, with which Max Petersen started his musical journey as a teenager and came back to at age 20.