Radiola Springs from Radiola Springs by Hardi Kurda

Radiola Springs is a deeply personal and experimental project by Hardi that emerged during the global pandemic. At its core is a viola, uniquely prepared with springs and embedded with a radio circuit, transforming the instrument into a hybrid of acoustic tradition and electronic exploration. The project also addresses Hardi's longing to recover the sound of his stolen violin—a cherished instrument that had travelled from West Germany to Baghdad in the early 1970s. In 2018, at a trusted strings instrument repair shop in Gothenburg, it was the only instrument stolen, leaving a mystery behind.

Hardi connects the unpredictable spectrum of radio frequencies to the altered viola, embarking on a sonic search for the voice of his missing violin. The resulting soundscape is raw, searching, and evocative, capturing both the physical absence of the instrument and the enduring presence of memory.

Hardi's experience as an immigrant. During his journey to Europe, he often relied on radio static and fragmented broadcasts for information, safety, and a sense of connection. Through Radiola Springs, Hardi fuses these formative listening experiences with his creative practice, crafting a dialogue between the past and present, absence and presence, loss and innovation. The piece invites listeners into a world where every resonance and interference tells a story of displacement, resilience, and the relentless search for belonging.

Hardi Kurda is a composer, improviser, and curator of SPACE21 and Archive Khanah in Kurdistan.
space21.org
khanah.org

hardikurda.com