Han Buhrs

Han Buhrs was born in 1955 and  is a voice improvisor who mixes existing and invented languages, self-written songs, poetry by others, newspaper fragments, and throat sounds together with improvised and composed music. He has worked with improvised and contemporary classical groups and ensembles.

Han currently performs with Rubatong (with Tatiana Kolleva, Thijs Elzinga and Luc Ex), Ensemble Extra Ordinair (with Nora Mulder, Salvoandrea Lucifora and Fabio Galeazzi) and  has also done various productions with dancer/choreographer Katrina Brown (1993-2015).

He worked intensively with groups like Palinckx (mixing rock, contemporary music and improvisation; ‘97-‘07) and Luc Houtkamp’s POW Ensemble (electronic music; ‘01-‘10).

A selection of the works he has performed includes also poetry (both sung and read) with Trio Jan Klare / Wilbert de Joode / Han Buhrs of Ernst Meister’s work (in German), with Doelen Ensemble / Vocaal Lab of Berio’s Labyrinthus (Italian) and Alan Ginsberg’s complete Howl (Dutch translation) with Palinckx Brothers & Mondriaan Quartet, ‘Incidentals’ with composer Louis Andriessen, Asko Ensemble (contemporary), Dutch Vocal Laboratory (classical voice), dancer Michael Schumacher, and with many improvisers such as Ab Baars, Ernst Reijseger, Misha Mengeberg, The Ex Orkest, George Lewis, Wolter Wierbos and many more.

Han Buhrs has recorded with various types of groups, such recordings being aired on radio and television in various countries. He was the winner of the Podium award Dutch Jazz Foundation in 1993, and received grants from the “Fonds voor Podiumkunsten”, the “Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst”. He was a guest teacher at the Art and Language Department of Rietveld Art Academy, Amsterdam (2008 to 2011), and has held various workshops in various countries. Han has also recorded voice overs for educational games.