A celebration of music

A look back

“The musicians created a fusion of sounds, just as we try to do in our compositions using the latest materials.” With this thought in mind, Benedikt from zai looks back on the Zeitfluss Kulturfest. Music from different eras, unusual combinations of instruments, and an atmosphere where old meets new: all of this inspired him and reminded him of zai's own journey. The concert supported by zai took place at the Hotel Waldhaus in Sils. Around a hundred people sat crowded around the musicians playing in the middle. Bach and Wagner resounded, carried by a surprising ensemble: bass trombone, viola, violin, and cello. It was an intimate moment in which music became tangible.

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Contrasts

Benedikt particularly remembers the small outdoor performance at night, when the new artistic director Chiara Enderle-Samatanga was introduced. “The idea was for her to be illuminated by a spotlight – but you could hardly see her,” he says with a smile. The next morning, there was a stark contrast: a trombonist first played on a shell, followed by a modern, atonal organ piece. “It was really about playing with sounds, staging sounds, and celebrating music.” For zai's Benedikt, the connection between music and zai is obvious. “Music inspires us. It's a place to unwind, a language of its own. And it has always been with us – just like different styles of music, which are constantly recombining.”

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Art as a mirror

Another highlight was the lecture by German artist Jonathan Meese, who spoke about art and culture – and how art can point the way to the future. “He said: You stand in front of the mirror. What surrounds you is the product of the past. But art challenges us to look through this mirror.” An image that Benedikt immediately associates with ski construction: “At zai, too, it's not just about looking right and left, but daring to look through the mirror.” For Benedikt, the Zeitfluss Festival was more than just a music event. It was a place of inspiration – and a reminder that courage and creativity are always linked to looking ahead.