Zemler, Hubert

Born 1980, percussionist and composer. In 1999-2004 he studied percussion with Edward Iwicki at the F. Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw.

As a percussionist he has given concerts in Europe, the United States, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Korea, and Japan. He has won awards in international competitions, including the Grand Prix with Galaxy Ensemble at the Jazz on the Oder Festival (1999), the Grand Prix with Jan Smoczyński Trio and an individual award at the Jazz Juniors Festival (2000), and Bronze Medal in solo percussion at the Delphic Games in South Korea in 2009. Hubert Zemler's repertoire includes works by 20thand 21st-century composers, such as Helmut Lachenmann's AIR (performed at 2015 Warsaw Autumn opening concert with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice conducted by Alexander Liebreich), Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians (Zemler took part in the Polish premiere of this work), as well as compositions by Tadeusz Wielecki, Zygmunt Krauze, Tomasz Sikorski, Tomasz Sikorski, Cornelius Cardew, and Arturas Bumšteinas.

Simultaneously with his classical academic studies and work with symphony orchestras, Hubert Zemler has played in jazz ensembles, learning techniques of improvisation and experimental music. At present he is one of the leading percussionists of the Polish improvised, experimental and free jazz music scene. He performs with representatives of various musical styles, such as jazz, world music, rock, blues, and improvised music.

He is a member of Warsaw-based independent scene ensembles: Piętnastka (with Piotr Kurek), Slalom (with Bartosz Weber and Bartłomiej Tyciński), Shy Albatross (with Raphael Rogiński and Natalia Przybysz), LAM jazz trio (with Wacław Zimpel and Krzysztof Dys), and the Pilokatabaza duo (with Paweł Szpura). He takes part in numerous projects exploring the borderline areas between contemporary music and improvisation.

Hubert Zemler also gives concerts as a soloist, performing his own works as well as improvisations. His solo repertoire has been released on 3 CDs: Moped (LADO ABC, 2011), Gostak & Doshes (Bôłt Records, 2014), and Pupation of Dissonance (Bôłt Records, 2016).

He has worked with artists such as John Tilbury, Evan Ziporyn, Gyan Riley, Agustí Fernández, Felix Kubin, Reinaldo Ceballo, Kwadrofonik ensemble, Mitch & Mitch, Kamil Szuszkiewicz, Raphael Rogiński, Wacław Zimpel, and the Mud Cavaliers collective.