Jonas Kocher (*1977) is a composer and accordionist with a strong interest in process oriented works and improvisation. He currently works in duo with Joke Lanz, in trio with Axel Dörner and Jacques Demierre, in duo with Gaudenz Badrutt, in trio with Hans Koch and Gaudenz Badrutt, with the Šalter Ensemble. He also has or had the chance to collaborate with Radu Malfatti, Irena Tomažin, Kasper T.Toeplitz, Ilia Belorukov, Eiko Yamada,Frantz Loriot, Christof Kurzmann, Michel Doneda, Kai Fagaschinsky, Klaus Filip, Chiyoko Szlavnic and many others.

As composer Jonas Kocher has realised works that are situated between composed theatre, installation and concert pieces. He has been invited to present his work as accordionist or composer by major festivals such as Festival Météo Mulhouse 2013 & 2014 (F), Festival Le Bruit de la Musique 2018 (F), Music Unlimited Wels 2019 (A), Ring Ring Festival Belgrade 2019 (RS), Cerkno Jazz Festival 2012 & 2017 (SLO), Sanatorium of Sound Festival Sokołowsko 2016 (PL), Konfrontationen Nickelsdorf 2019 (A), Unerhört Festival Zürich 2018 (CH), Musik Festival Bern 2017 & 2018 (CH), Umlaut Festival Berlin 2012 (D), Festival Sound Around Kaliningrad 2018 (RU), Goethe Institut Improv Festival Moscow 2017 (RU), Biennale Zagreb (HR), Irtijal Festival Beirut 2015 (LIB), Izlog Festival Zagreb 2016 (HR), Festival Sonic Circuits Washington 2013 (USA), Art Biennale Thessaloniki 2015 (GR), Biennale Venice 2020 (IT),Québec musiques parralèlles 2023 a.o.

Jonas Kocher was awarded the Artist in Residence Scholarship (Cité des Arts Paris) of the Canton of Bern 2004, the recognition prize from the Canton of Bern 2010 and was awarded composition grants from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia in 2012 and 2019. Award Winner of the Liechti Prize for the Arts 2020.

Together with Gaudenz Badrutt, Jonas Kocher is running Bruit, a structure dedicated to sound activities based on improvisation, experimentation and interdisciplinarity.

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