Decisions must be made within a network of feedback loops whose course is only partially predictable, acting under conditions of limited control. Zugzwang is an electroacoustic ensemble composition by Tomas Korber, created as part of the City of Zurich's 2025 Work Year programme.

The ensemble combines acoustic instruments with a network of microphones, software, and feedback loops. The result is music with extreme registers and strong dynamic contrasts, characterised by an archaic, raw sound. The repetitive and process-oriented nature of the music causes listeners and musicians to enter a trance-like state in which time seems to stretch infinitely. Thus, Zugzwang examines the interplay between individual decision-making, collective processes, and the momentum of an unstable system.

For twenty years, the Swiss-Georgian festival Close Encounters has promoted encounters and collaborations, providing spaces for experimentation and reflection. It facilitates intensive exchange between participating musicians, transcending geographical distances, scenes and styles. In both Switzerland and Georgia, Close Encounters continues to break down institutional, stylistic and scene-related boundaries, connecting a diverse range of audiences.