About
Bósons duo, formed by Catarina Marques and Aya Masui is an artistic duo based in Luzern, Switzerland.
Our main focus is to explore and experiment with sound, in particular how it propagates, resonates and carries intonation. Our artistic paths came together when we realised that we aim for something in common, to delve deeper into the understanding on how sound behaves in different physical spaces using different materials, and to observe the relationship between sound and motion.
Soon this interest led us to find our name: Bósons. While Bosóns aren’t directly involved in music, they are closely related to the principles of vibrations and waves. Bósons are elementary particles in physics that tend to group together and play an important role in processes like the transmission of light and energy. We see a connection on how sound waves move and interact, much like how Bósons facilitate energy in physics.
For this reason we came up with a performance series called "null+", a long-term project that aims to expand our knowledge about sound diffusion in different settings. This requires an adaptability of our principal set-up (campanula, snare drum, objects and fish lines) to every space we perform in, allowing for a dynamic exploration of sound in diverse contexts.
photo by Pirii Pimentel Rodrigues
Born in *1994, Catarina Marques is a Portuguese musician, improviser and art performer. As a multidisciplinary artist, she explores the relationship between sound, space, and human perception. Her work centers on the use of the Campanula Quinton, an instrument with sympathetic strings, crafted by Helmut Bleffert, to investigate how sound resonates and diffuses in various environments. Through soundscapes, installations, and live performances, she aims to capture the unique acoustic properties of natural settings, engaging with the present moment and fostering deeper connections between people, sound, and space.
In 2022, she completed her studies at HSLU Music - Lucerne, focusing on classical, contemporary, and improvised music. Since then, she has collaborated with artists from other disciplines and has performed as a violist in various ensembles. Highlights so far include performances in Switzerland (Mullbau-Impro Ensemble; Neubad-Solo; SoundArt Festival Dreilinden Dissolution Ensemble), Turkey (Festival Klassik Keyifler - Duo with Garth Knox), and South Africa (Stellenbosch Music Festival - Tour with the Eleas Quartet). She is currently a member of Triosphère (flute, harp, viola). Her artistic interests currently focus on instruments with sympathetic strings, sound diffusion, and resonance in space.
Aya Masui moved to Switzerland in 2020 and since then has been active as a solo and guest percussionist in the fields of contemporary and experimental music, performing with ensembles and orchestras worldwide. Additionally, her recent focus has been on engaging in sound art and initiating experimental and collective projects with artists and non-artists from diverse backgrounds. She has performed and presented her works at numerous venues and festivals, including the Lucerne Festival, Luzerner Theater, Schauspielhaus Zürich, Stadtcasino Basel, Tonhalle Zürich, Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Peter Eötvös Foundation, NOSPR Katowice, Holland Festival, Mullbau, neubad Luzern, SoundArt Festival Dreilinden, Musée Visionnaire Zürich, Historisches Museum Baden, International Performance Art Giswil, and many others.
Recently, she has been active as a member of the electro-acoustic music trio nowhere, OK, the sound art collective Bósons Duo, and as a co-founder of the long-term project Sandbending grains, which conducts sound documentation of people's realities amidst global mutations.
Projects
