concert inharmonic orchestra x Hackedepicciotto

The Orchestre Inharmonique de Nice celebrates its 15th anniversary. Fifteen years of improvised music performed by students from the Villa Arson in Nice and, for the past few years, from the École nationale supérieure d’arts de Paris Cergy. On this occasion, we are delighted to announce that Danielle de Picciotto (Love Parade) and Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten), the Hackedepicciotto duo, will lead the Orchestra in a free public concert.

Hackedepicciotto

For over 20 years, Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten) and artist, musician and filmmaker Danielle de Picciotto (co-founder of Love Parade) have been developing and evolving a symbiotic collaborative practice, with a deep intuition that has distinguished rare creative and romantic collaborations – think writers Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, artists Lee Miller and Man Ray or independent film heroes Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes – each collaboration marked by a creative equality that allowed both artists freedom of exploration and development.

Individually, hackedepicciotto has been a pioneer right from the start. Alexander Hacke began experimenting with cassette loops at the age of 14, in the early ’80s, then joined Einstürzende Neubauten to create music that would influence generations of musicians. Danielle de Picciotto, fascinated by the beginnings of electronic music, founded the Berlin Love Parade in 1989. Lead singer of one of Berlin’s first cross-over bands, The Space Cowboys, she then teamed up with Gudrun Gut to create a female version of electronic music, way ahead of its time. In 2001, Hacke and de Picciotto began collaborating under the name hackedepicciotto, creating elaborate audiovisual multimedia performances in Berlin, before deciding to become nomads. The duo left home and toured the world, boldly defying convention and becoming a modern, musical version of Bonnie and Clyde, running from gig to gig and releasing albums at breakneck speed.

Hackedepicciotto navigates between genres, from cinematic drone to industrial, experimental and spoken-word, oscillating between meditative sung harmonies and soundscapes, heavy drones and searing, soaring symphonies, comparable to a perfect blend of OM, Dead Can Dance, Low and Arvo Pärt. Mute’s Daniel Miller continues: “Their music is a genre in its own right, something new and very intriguing.”

The couple, married in 2006, have released countless albums and collaborated with Mick Harvey (Bad Seeds), Lustmord, Eric Hubel (Glenn Branca Ensemble), The Tiger Lillies, Kid Congo and Julee Cruise, among others. Alexander is a master of electronic sounds, playing bass, guitar, percussion and throat singing.
Danielle plays violin, hurdy-gurdy, autoharp and piano, and writes lyrics for spoken-word songs that they sing in harmony.
Hackedepicciotto also composes soundtracks for film and theater.

The Nice Inharmonic Orchestra

The arrival of the Hackedepicciotto duo follows a long list of equally prestigious artists who, over the years, have led the Orchestre Inharmonique de Nice in concert. In no particular order, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Méryll Ampe, Claire Gapenne (aka Terrine), Elodie Lesourd and Lionel Fernandez (Sister Iodine, Contumace), Jean-Marc Foussat, Xavier Boussiron, the Talweg duo, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie-Zombie), Jean-Marc Montera, Pedro Rocha and Charlemagne Palestine.

Last but not least, L’Orchestre Inharmonique de Nice benefits from the unfailing support of music critic Philippe Robert, who has written about L’Orchestre (ed. Lenka Lente) and accompanies each recording release with a text, two LPs and one double LP for the time being, available via the ldrr.com website.

At the invitation of Gauthier Tassart and Arnaud Maguet, students will take part in a workshop by David Ritzinger to create screen-printed posters for the event.

Practical information

Friday, May 2, 2025 – 8pm

Grand Amphithéâtre

Free admission, subject to availability

Address: 20 avenue Stephen Liegeard, 06100 Nice