© Nordrhein-westfälische Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Künste

My professorship is titled: 
Musicology / Sound Studies (Faculty II)

This is what my research is about: 
I deal with what sounds: with music, sound, noise, silence. I am interested in what sounds and music do, where they come from, in which cultures, regions and milieus they take on meaning and in what way, and what role they play in better understanding culture, humanity and coexistence.

That’s what fascinates me most about my field of research:
Sounds can be organized in complex ways (e.g. compositions, improvisations, performances). But sounds also determine and shape our everyday life, our perception, our coexistence. I find the range between historical-present research on music, its actors and practices and the everyday, situational, materialized, embodied anchoring in our everyday lives particularly appealing.

Why Siegen?
I want to anchor my research in a university context. I particularly appreciate working at disciplinary boundaries - and the productive moments when these become blurred. The perspective of other disciplines on my research approaches and methods is a great benefit for me. But what inspires me the most is the diverse, critical-thinking and at the same time pragmatic and far-sighted student body in Siegen.

My most interesting previous career stations were:
The Junge Kolleg der Nordrheinwestfälischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Künste, the Cologne University of Music and Dance, research stays in Vienna, Rome and Oslo, numerous concert stages, dance studios and, above all, many sound explorations in urban space.

That’s what students learn in my courses, e.g.:

They learn to reflect critically on music, sounds and their manifestations in the past and present. They understand historical phenomena as currently relevant, especially in connection with power-critical and gender-sensitive perspectives. They learn to leave their comfort zone again and again in a safe space and to think outside the box.

In my free time, I like to...
spend time with my family, appreciate chaos, cultivate community involvement and, above all, music. As a professional cellist, I particularly enjoy making music myself.