Charles Uzor on his works "8'46''" and "Katharsis Kalkül"

8 minutes, 46 seconds: ever since the brutal killing of African-American George Floyd during a police operation in Minneapolis, this time span has symbolized racist violence. Swiss-Nigerian composer Charles Uzor has worked through his reactions to this event in a nightmarish piece comprising nothing but the sounds of breathing. Taking "8'46''" another step further is "Katharsis Kalkül" which was written as a commission by Lucerne Festival and also deals with the murder of Floyd.

We met Charles Uzor in his home in St. Gallen and talked with him about his career and his aforementioned works which will be performed at Lucerne Festival Forward.