About//
Milena Georgieva is a composer and transdisciplinary artist.
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, currently based in Vienna.
Her approach is strongly influenced by her background in landscape design - space, evolvement and experience are at the core of her working process. She explores sound and it’s evolution as an organic and dramaturgical space. She investigates space as a construct – physical, virtual, public and intimate. Through music and sound she sees the possibility to grow unexpected relationships and enter impossible places - utopias.
In her compositions and live performances she seeks a fluid, unbound sense of music and listening. Interlacing diverse genres and musical practices - from experimental, electroacoustic, contemporary classical to choir and folklore - she activates complex and multidimensional bodies of sound.
Modular and digital sound design, live-processing, experimental and extended instrumental, vocal and recording techniques are currently her primary sonic tools.
She does sound design and composes for performance, dance and film as well.
She/They perform also under the moniker Yuzu.
Shows at Tanzquartier Vienna, Kunsthaus Zürich, Angewandte Interdisciplinary Lab, Technical Museum Vienna, Kunsthalle Vienna, Donaufestival, Wiener Festwochen, ImpulsTanz, Elevate Festival, Unsafe + Sounds, Goethe-Institute Bulgaria, Sofia City Art Gallery, among others.
Composition grants by the City of Vienna (2022-24), State of Austria (2023, Startstipendium 2024). Residencies at ImpulsTanz - Turbo (2023), Kulturtankstelle Linz (2017). Nomination for BAZA contemporary art prize (2019).
Collaborations with Magdalena Forster, Pavel Naydenov and N Choir, Tarek Atoui, Jeremy Wade, Ingrid Cogne, Leon Höllhumer, Claire Tolan, Lazar Lyutakov, Sara Zlanabitnig, Christine Gnigler, Maja Osojnik, Jake Mann, Johanna Figl, TE-R [Louise Linsenbolz + Thomas Wagensommerer], Tony Heywood + Alison Condie.
Milena is also:
+ an active member of CZIRP CZIRP as well - a collective supporting, producing and communicating experimental music, sound and digital art through nomadic cultural and ephemeral events.
+ former member of VELAK – a non-profit organisation and platform for artists who work in fields of experimental music and sound/art.
+ co-founder of CLINIC, a former platform and event format in Vienna, which challenged the hierarchical structures found within club culture and the experimental electronic music scene.
+ organizer of the event series SEBISM, a DIY home for contemporary experimental music performances, underground zeal and radical zest.
CV//
Education/
2015-2021/ /Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Art and Education
2009-14/ /University of Applied Arts Vienna, Landscapedesign / Site-specific Art, MA
2012/ / University of Applied Arts Vienna, Industrial Design 2, Prof. Fiona Raby
2007-08/ /National Academy of Arts Sofia, Poster and Visual Communication
Grants, Awards and Nominations/
2024/ / Startstipendium, BMKOES (Federal Ministry Republic of Austria for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport)
2024/ / Composition Grant, “Surival Is The Air We Breathe”, City of Vienna
2023/ / TURBO Residency, Impulstanz Festival, Vienna
2023/ / Composition Grant for “μ-I.-III.”, City of Vienna
2023/ / Composition Grant for “μ-I.-III”, BMKOES, (Federal Ministry Republic of Austria for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport)
2023/ / Project Grant and Residency VORBRENNER 23’ Brux Theater, Innsbruck
2023/ / Composition Grant for “BILE”, City of Vienna
2022/ / Composition Grant for “ARCADIA”, City of Vienna
2022/ /Residency at Symposion Lindabrunn
2021/ /Residency at “Arbeitsplatz” Vienna 2020/ /Project Grant, MA7 Vienna
2019/ / Nomination for BAZA Award for Contemporary Art, Bulgaria
2018/ /Residency at Kulturtankstelle Linz
2014/ / Merit-based grant, University of Applied Arts Vienna
2013/ / Winner of “THE PITCH! #7” ARTE Creative and Output, with the video “Breakthrough”
2012/ /Winner, YCC Contest with the video “Breakthrough”
Recent and Upcoming Projects //
2024-25/
/LICKER (work in progress)
Concept Album based on the research on lichens lichenization, symbiosis and dealing with co-habitation, co-existence, urgent + emergent intimacy, air and breath.
/SURVIVAL IS THE AIR WE BREATHE
Composition for Choir and Electronics, Sponsored by the City of Vienna
/LICHEN-ALIKE
Research and Method development for Composing based on the study of lichens, lichenization, symbiosis. Sponsored by BMKOES (Startstipendium)
2025/
/Video Release: YUZU - Live @DieSpur_Records
/HEARTH - on wet grounds
Composition, Performance, FdR* Festival der Regionen
/HEARTH
Composition and live sound for Performance by Magdalena Forster, Tanzquartier Vienna
/HEARTH - on wet grounds
Composition, Performance, FdR* Festival der Regionen
/HEARTH
Composition and live sound for Performance by Magdalena Forster, Tanzquartier Vienna
Selected Projects, Exhibitions and Perfromances//
2024/
/UNDERCURRENTS
Release within the Series SONIC AGENCY on Struma+Iodine
/PORPHYRA (new adaptation)
Performance and Composition, Angewandte Interdisciplinary Lab, Vienna
2023/
/ μTOPIA, Performance, Composition, Live Sound, Dramaturgy and Artistic Direction, VORBRENNER ‘23 BRUX Freie Theater Innsbruck
/ BILE, Composition and Live Sound for a Performance by Magdalena Forster
Shows: RAKETE Festival, TQW, Vienna
unspace @ Kunsthaus Zurich, within Zurich Art Weekend
Sonic Territories Festival, Vienna
/ PORPHYRA, Performance, Installation, Composition, Kunstraum Remise, Bludenz
2022/
/ARCADIA composition, 17’’, Sponsored by the City of Vienna
/ TOWER OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, interactive virtual sound sculpture for Kongreßbad Vienna, within MEDIA AND SOUND POOL by czirp czirp and The Artificial Museum
/ “Die Wilden Sind Wir”, performance and live sound as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan) Symposium IV / Kunst & Ökologie, Lindabrunn
/ Liebe Hilde, deine Zoé, composition and live sound for performance and public space intervention, a project by Johanna Figl and Martina Rössler with students of the Integrativen Lernwerkstatt Brigittenau and elderly people from the Pensionist:innenklubs Leithastraße and Greiseneggerstraße. Brigittaplatz
/ Souffle Continu by Tarek Atoui, performer and musician, Wiener Festwochen
/ {PAN TR∀CT}, performance + live concert, w/ Magdalena Forster Leon Höllhumer, Performative Screenings #74, school, Vienna
/ CAULIFLOWER SOUNDFESTIVAL, acousmatic concert, VELAK + Vienna Acousmatik Project Semperdpot, Vienna
2021/
/ ”Club Possession”, performance as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan), Celeste, Vienna
/ ”OFFSHORE HEIDI”, performance as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan), BLOB together PRST, Vienna
/ ”What I can show I cannot say” I + II, installation and performance, BKI Haus Wittgenstein, Vienna
/”T.E. honeymoon, immer am Laufen”, sound composition for video piece by Elisabeth Falkinger, PARALLEL VIENNA
/”DIGITAL.RELEASE”, composition and video, commissioned for Oceanic Feeling by czirpczirp.cc, animation by TE-R
/”CICADA GAMES”, graphic design + art direction for site-specific AR + ASMR audio play app by Claire Tolan, commissioned by czirpczirp.cc
/”À manipuler with care” sound piece with Ingrid Cogne, Michaela Stock Gallery, Vienna
2021/
/ ”Club Possession”, performance as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan), Celeste, Vienna
/ ”OFFSHORE HEIDI”, performance as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan), BLOB together PRST, Vienna
/ ”What I can show I cannot say” I + II, installation and performance, BKI Haus Wittgenstein, Vienna
/”T.E. honeymoon, immer am Laufen”, sound composition for video piece by Elisabeth Falkinger, PARALLEL VIENNA
/”DIGITAL.RELEASE”, composition and video, commissioned for Oceanic Feeling by czirpczirp.cc, animation by TE-R
/”CICADA GAMES”, graphic design + art direction for site-specific AR + ASMR audio play app by Claire Tolan, commissioned by czirpczirp.cc
/”À manipuler with care” sound piece with Ingrid Cogne, Michaela Stock Gallery, Vienna
/ ”OFFSHORE HEIDI”, performance as Pandora (w/ Harald Stojan), BLOB together PRST, Vienna
/ ”What I can show I cannot say” I + II, installation and performance, BKI Haus Wittgenstein, Vienna
/”T.E. honeymoon, immer am Laufen”, sound composition for video piece by Elisabeth Falkinger, PARALLEL VIENNA
/”DIGITAL.RELEASE”, composition and video, commissioned for Oceanic Feeling by czirpczirp.cc, animation by TE-R
/”CICADA GAMES”, graphic design + art direction for site-specific AR + ASMR audio play app by Claire Tolan, commissioned by czirpczirp.cc
/”À manipuler with care” sound piece with Ingrid Cogne, Michaela Stock Gallery, Vienna
2020/
/”From Violence to Ambience”, sound installation, Goethe-Institut, Sofia
2019/
/“The Song About the Woman“/„We‘ve got something to talk about“, performance and installation, Sofia City Art Gallery
/”F*Future” educational project, Kunsthalle Vienna
2018/
/“re:donau“, Kulturtankstelle, Linz
2017/
/“En Suite“, performance, Rosa Rauschen, Vienna
/“tender trap“, installation, Take Festival Vienna
/“Ich-Nicht-Ort“, performance, In der Kubatur des Kabinetts, Fluc Vienna
2016/
/“Dissonanz“, sound installation, SOHO in Ottakring
2014/
/”URBAN FLOWRA”, conceptual landscape design, diploma with honours, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
2013/
/”Picknick in The West”, happening, Zapaden Park Festival of art in public space, Sofia
2012/
/”Growing Responsibility” installation, “So close, so far - contemporary Bulgarian artists abroad”, National Palace of Culture, Sofia
2011/
/”Hosta Superstar”, installation, Botanical Garden, Vienna
2010/
/”Bärenstark”, installation, “Wunschmaschinen”, exhibition, Technisches Museum, Vienna
2019/
/“The Song About the Woman“/„We‘ve got something to talk about“, performance and installation, Sofia City Art Gallery
/”F*Future” educational project, Kunsthalle Vienna
/”F*Future” educational project, Kunsthalle Vienna
2018/
/“re:donau“, Kulturtankstelle, Linz
2017/
/“En Suite“, performance, Rosa Rauschen, Vienna
/“tender trap“, installation, Take Festival Vienna
/“Ich-Nicht-Ort“, performance, In der Kubatur des Kabinetts, Fluc Vienna
/“tender trap“, installation, Take Festival Vienna
/“Ich-Nicht-Ort“, performance, In der Kubatur des Kabinetts, Fluc Vienna
2016/
/“Dissonanz“, sound installation, SOHO in Ottakring
2014/
/”URBAN FLOWRA”, conceptual landscape design, diploma with honours, University of Applied Arts, Vienna
2013/
/”Picknick in The West”, happening, Zapaden Park Festival of art in public space, Sofia
2012/
/”Growing Responsibility” installation, “So close, so far - contemporary Bulgarian artists abroad”, National Palace of Culture, Sofia
2011/
/”Hosta Superstar”, installation, Botanical Garden, Vienna
2010/
/”Bärenstark”, installation, “Wunschmaschinen”, exhibition, Technisches Museum, Vienna
Selected Performances Yuzu //
2022/ / Wiener Festwochen, Vienna
/ Music Unlimited Festival, Wels
/ Unsafe + Sounds Festival, Vienna
/ Struma + Iodine, Rhiz, Vienna
/ Donaufestival, Krems
/ Sonic Territories, Seestadt, Vienna
/ STREAM Festival, Linz
/ K.W.K.W., p.m.k. Innsbruck
2021/ /Wiener Festwochen MITTEN
/WAF Gallery Vienna with Leon Höllhummer
/Unsafe+Sounds Festival, Vienna
2020/ /Elevate Festival, Graz
/Notgalerie, Vienna
2019/ / JESHK - Festival für experimentelle Musik, WUK, Vienna
/ Impulstanz, Vienna
/ Velak Gala | Fluc, Vienna
/ Wiener Festwochen, Vienna
2018/
/ FLUCA, Sofia
/Club Radiokoje, Vienna
/Fabrika Avtonomia, Sofia
/Tontauben Festival, NÖ
2017/ / Popfest Vienna
/ SSTR6
/ Berlin Community Radio
Selected Collaborations //
2021/ /Claire Tolan, Ingrid Cogne,TE-R [Louise Linsenbolz + Thomas Wagensommerer], Elisabeth Falkinger, Harald Stojan
2020/ / Live Sound and Performance in Alberto Franceschini’s piece ”Strange is the Loop”
/Wiener Festwochen Reframed, commissioned co-curator (CZIRP CZIRP) for the public space performance of “Construction Choir Collective. A musical intervention in Meidling”.
2019/ /Jeremy Wade: Sound in „FCCCing Impulstanz The Musical“ Impulstanz, Vienna
2016/ /Lazar Lyutakov landscape design in the project “Rosae”, LPH Türnitz, Austria
/August Schram and Bastian Wilpling for the short film „Ich Armer Mensch“
2011/ /Tony Heywood in “Hosta Superstar”, Botanical Garden Vienna
Publications //
/ Mario Terzic, Lu Yang:“Humus and Shoots”, 2014, p. 93
/ Lazar Lyutakov:„10 years and something - Baba Vasa‘s Cellar“, p.54-55
/ Landscape V02, Summer/Autumn 2012, p. 22
/ “So Close, So Far”, Ausstellungskatalog, 2011
/ “Wunschmaschinen”, Ausstellungskatalog, 2010, p. 24-25
Additional Professional Experience //