kollektiv iиterиatioиal totem is an association and an initiative by Kay Zhang, Nuriia Khasenova and Léo Collin. Trained as classical and contemporary musicians, they interpret chamber music and orchestral repertoire composed by contemporary composers. They transcribe, arrange, and enrich the works with visual elements and a narrative structure, making the scores more accessible to non-specialist audiences.
In their SHOW, they create immersive musical experiences that blend sound, visuals, and storytelling.
Through their WORKSHOPS, they spend fews days collaborating with a guest artist (composer or sound/visual artist). Each collaboration leads to a unique and compelling outcome.
They create their own music theatre and performance works, including: BALEEN / MEDUSEN / CORALS/ PLANKTON / For these projects, they collaborate with various artists, including sound engineer Leandro Gianini; software developer Dalius Singer; costume and stage designer Mariana Grünig Vieira; object designer Eric Larrieux; instrument designer and sound artist Kaspar König; composer and performer Cimon Finix; lighting designer Viktoras Žemeckas; architect and video game designer Adrian Galeazzi and singer and organizer Meret Roth.
They have performed at Volksbühne Berlin, Gare du Nord (Basel), Dampfzentrale (Bern), Gessnerallee, Tonhalle, Das Institut, Walcheturm, and Hyperlokal (Zürich), as well as Monash University (Melbourne), Potocki Paterson Art Gallery (Wellington), the Maritime Museum (Hong Kong), L’Abri (Geneva), and La Voirie (Bienne).
kollektiv iиterиatioиal totem is supported by the City and the Canton of Zürich, along with several other foundations in Switzerland.
kollektiv iиterиatioиal
totem
2026
SHOW Schaufenster
2025
MUSICTHEATRE Plankton
2024
PERFORMANCE Blind test (Hyper Duo)
Workshop Melia Roger
REPRISE See the whale (baleen)
CONCERT Endless2 L.Huber
2023
Workshop Tracy September
SHOW Electric Unconscious
REPRISE baleen Hong kong
REPRISE corals Geneva
2022
Workshop cinna peyghamy
SHOW: music für narben bern
Workshop viviane wang
PORTRAIT lara stanic
MUSICTHEATRE corals zürich
SHOW hamster and the dame
SHOW le grand plongeon tour
2021
CONCERT sonic-matter
PORTRAIT kaspar könig
CONCERT passagen
Workshop lukas huber
Workshop aio frei
CONCERT M. witcher
2020
MUSICTHEATRE medusen
PERFORMANCE festival rümlingen
Workshop charles kwong
Workshop ko-operator
CONCERT antoine chessex
SHOW simone keller
2019
CONCERT florent caron darras
CONCERT charles quevillon
CONCERT at numu
MUSICTHEATRE baleen
CONCERT Tour tilde
2018-2015
SHOW pinyin
CONCERT the riot