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Josep Maria Balanyà

Josep-Maria Balanyà gained his diploma in piano, arrangement and composition at the Swiss Jazz School with Vince Benedetti, Fritz Pauer and Joe Haider. At the same time, he studied musical psycho-pedagogy at the Conservatory of Music and Dance in Berne. He later attended composition seminars given by Helmut Lachenmann, Walter Zimmermann and Ivan Fedele.

Since 1991 he has concentrated on developing the sound possibilities of the piano as well as, since 1994, sound research into unconventional object-instruments. These studies have produced the series entitled "Art experimental acústic", the last two creations of which are Sommier primo op. 90 and Cinco exteriores ke cuelgan op. 93, both dated 2001.

To date, his catalogue of works comprises 109 recorded pieces; he has played with musicians such as Claudio Pontiggia, Hans Koch, Joachim Kühn, Michiel Borstlap and Ksenija Lukic, etc., and has edited nine discs, including: In the air in the ear (1986), Tierra firme (1987), Elements of development (1995), Sonateskas (1999), Kratz & klang (1997-2000) and Aqua aeterna (2002).