Three students from the Hochschule der Künste Bern, invite audiences into a world where sound, movement, and sculpture merge. 'Unraveling Song' is a multidisciplinary installation-performance created by Elena Sword (Composition, Electronics, Lyrics, Voice), Anastácia Kazmina (Textile Installation), and Lily Li (Movement, Interaction, Voice), supported by the Ammann-Falb Scholarship.

At the heart of 'Unraveling Song' lies a unique yarn-sculpture-instrument, an interactive web that resonates with sound and motion. Visitors are encouraged to explore and engage with the piece, which responds to touch, presence, and voice, blurring the boundaries between performer, audience, and instrument.

Video and photo documentation by Carla Corminboeuf

Elena Sword performs "yarn-sculpture-instrument prototype 0" at Untergrün Summerfest 2025 in Berlin

Insomniac Premonitions

Part 1: A moment's peace

Part 2: The Note

Part 3: The Flood

For 4 voices, 3 violas, cello, piano, and bass drum

Composer: Elena Sword, with feedback, consultation, and sometimes improvisation from the other performers

Performers: Voices: Mira Hirtler, Zhuoni Li, Mirto Kaitanidou, Elena Sword; Violas: Viki Tuneu, Hanna Werner, Ben Warren; Cello: Hortense Airault; Piano: Celia Denore Lopez; Bass Drum: Bridget Bourne

Insomniac Premonitionsis a staged adaptation of visions that appeared as the composer was trying to fall asleep.

Elena Sword (voice, electronics, composition, improvisation), Kunal Tiwari (trombone, composition, voice, improvisation), Viviane Urio (cello, improvisation), Bridget Bourne (percussion, voice), Adham Zidan (electric guitar, electronics, improvisation)

Elena Sword & Hannes Buder play Sonic Adama #3 at Galerie Adama in Berlin, February 2025

January 2025 - Playtime Festival, Hochschule der Künste Bern (Bern, CH)

Thaw - Elena Sword (voice, electronics (Ableton, Max MSP, 6 channels), composition) with Bridget Bourne  (percussion, voice, composition)

Elena Sword (voice, composition, improvisation) with Hannes Buder (cello, electric guitar, composition, improvisation), Roman Stolyar (piano, synthesizer, flute, improvisation) - Oct 19, 2023

Elena Sword, Roman Stolyar, Mizuki Ishikawa, & Lasha Goginashvili perform music by Elena Sword at PAS Berlin on Oct. 1, 2023

Recording of CCRMA livestream of Elena Sword's bachelor’s recital, Works by Women c. 1150-2023, June 2023 at the CCRMA Stage (Stanford, CA)

Elena Sword (voice, composition, production, electric kettle, Max MSP) with Aaron Hodges (drums), Emily Saletan (piano), Elizabeth Nguyen (viola, voice), Gaby Li (cello), Camila Wickman (piano), Jenny Xiong (piano, composition), Julia Yu (voice), Tamami Honma (piano)

“I looked so long" by Elena Sword, performed as part of her senior bachelor’s concert, “Works by Women c. 1150-2023”, CCRMA Stage (Stanford, CA)

Elena Sword (voice, composition, production) with Camilla Wickman (piano)

"Waltz of Death and Life" by Elena Sword, performed as part of her senior bachelor’s concert, “Works by Women c. 1150-2023”, CCRMA Stage (Stanford, CA)

Elena Sword (voice, composition, production) with Aaron Hodges (drums), Emily Saletan (piano), Elizabeth Nguyen (viola, voice), Gaby Li (cello)