Michel Montecrossa

All Music Guide:

Cyber-rocker Michel Montecrossa was born to a violinist father and singer mother who met in Paris, and soon after Montecrossa's birth, joined a traveling artists' group that performed around Europe, the U.S., and Asia. Being raised in that community exposed Montecrossa to a wide variety of people and ideas, and at age six, he began playing the guitar, harmonica, and piano, and by 12 he was performing his own songs. However, Montecrossa is best known for his interpretations of other musicians' work, in particular Bob Dylan (though he has also covered Elvis and Françoise Hardy, among others). In 1993, Montecrossa started the Spirit of Woodstock in Mirapuri, Italy, which pays tribute to the legendary 1969 festival. In 2000 he released his debut, Born in Time, a collection of Dylan songs, whose music is in fact found on almost all of Montecrossa's albums. Though he did perform as a solo artist, Montecrossa more often played with his band, the Chosen Few, which was comprised of Mirakali (guitar, vocals, keyboard, programming), Mirachandra (digital drums), Diana Antara (keyboards, vocals, programming), and David Butterfield (guitar, vocals, bass). In 2004 the group released Songs Like Kisses, a collection of original pieces.

Wikipedia:

Michel Montecrossa (born October 28, 1945 in Vienna, born Michael Klostermann) is a German media entrepreneur, author, musician, painter, film-maker, futurist, consciousness researcher and founder of Mirapuri, the City of Peace and Futureman in Europe

Life

Childhood and Youth (1945-1962)

Michel Montecrossa grew up in a liberal, open-minded artistic, environment. His father, Dr. Kurt Klostermann, in his early years played violin in Memphis, studied chemistry after his return to Europe and worked as an independent plastics merchant and art collector in Switzerland and Germany. Michel Montecrossa's mother Aimée Alker up to her marriage was choir singer in Vienna and then worked in the company of her husband. Due to the openness of his art-interested parents and their traveling spirit Michel Montecrossa from the start came in contact with artists and business people of all kinds and at times was on the road with a group of artists. Michel Montecrossa's parents recognized his artistic talent, which expressed itself beginning at the age of six through painting, poetry and music and continued to unfold through self-study of piano, guitar and harmonica, which enabled him from twelve years onwards to appear on stage. He also sang as a member of the Bavarian Radio Children's Choir of Rudolf Kiermayer.

Studies and artistic development (1962-1968)

Starting in 1962, Michel Montecrossa received music lessons (piano, vocals, guitar and the fundamentals of electronic music). In 1964 he attended the state-approved 'München Studio' drawing and painting school of Waki Zoellner, who received the 1969 Schwabing Art Prize for Sculpture and other awards. After completion of the painting and drawing school followed an additional degree in education and psychology. Parallel to his attendance at the painting and drawing school Michel Montecrossa studied with private teachers film and photo technology as well as philosophy. In 1965 he for the first time presented a comprehensive exhibition of paintings, art objects and electronic compositions ('Sound Pictures') from 14th till 21 November at the Youth Center in St. Konrad Neuaubing. 1968, his light objects and electronic music were presented from 18th till 31 May in the Gallery & Kückels in Bochum,followed by a two-day light show, film and electronic music program on 23 and 24 November 1968 in 'Das andere Kino' ('The Other Cinema') in the Westendstr., Munich.

Beginning of professional work and literary publications (1968-1969)

After graduation he worked as a freelance cartoonist for the Moewig-Verlag, (Publishing House) for which he created the 'Sternschnuppe' ('Shooting Star') series and worked as a translator of philosophical and psychological works for Fischer paperback publishing house. His paintings were shown together with his electronic sound compositions in various exhibitions in Germany. During this period he was co-founder of the 'Mandala Art Group' that was dedicated to future-oriented art. Michel Montecrossa's artistic and philosophical interests in 1968-1969 brought him into contact with the works of the Indian poet and philosopher Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950), who studied and was raised in Europe (mostly England) and after his college years returned to India, where he unified in his poetic and philosophical works the humanist spirit of Europe with the Indo-Asian spirituality. In those years, Michel Montecrossa began to publish poems in various magazines including the literary magazine 'Der Leguan' by Gerhard Merz. He participated with artistic 'Sens-Actions' at the 'Schwabing Weeks' and published in early 1969 his symbolic and surreal story 'The Voice Of The Divine And The First Step'.

Beginning of the work as a film producer, director, screenwriter and actor (1969)

Michel Montecrossa then started to work as a film producer and completed in 1969 his landmark film 'The Great Archetype', which he conceived in a style similar to the consciousness-stream approach of James Joyce.

Beginning of career as a singer and songwriter (1968-1969)

1968-1969 Michel Montecrossa also began his career as a singer and songwriter with his first concerts in Munich and later in Europe and America. In his songs Michel Montecrossa expresses, from the outset his free intellectual commitment and feeling for life. The musical work of Michel Montecrossa grew till the 21st Century to more than 2,000 songs, instrumental compositions and lyrics that are being performed internationally. The first publication of his songs was the 1968 LP release 'Lieder aus der anderen Zeit'. After 1968 the issues of climate change and world peace became ever more prominent in his songs and lyrics.

Evolving work as Futurist and Consciousness Researcher. Origin of the idea of Mirapuri as City of Peace and Futureman in Europe (1969)

At the end of 1969 he came into personal contact with the French artist and consciousness researcher Mira Alfassa (1878–1973) who was living in Pondicherry, South India and was the companion of Sri Aurobindo. After an intense cultural journey through Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan Michel Montecrossa arrived in November 1969 in Pondicherry. Given the prior correspondence with Mira Alfassa he could now regularly visit her for conversations, mainly on culture and philosophy. During this time the idea for Mirapuri, the City of Peace and Futureman in Europa was developed together with Mira Alfassa. The aim of Mirapuri is to help in the realization of the ideal of human unity. Michel Montecrossa's philosophical reference work "The Sunrevolution" is based on his conversations with Mira Alfassa. In the following years Michel Montecrossa came in contact with a number of philosophical personalities such as Jean Gebser, the Dalai Lama, Krishnamurti, and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker. With the latter, he, in the seventies, created two talkshows for the Bavarian Radio under the direction of Dr. Udo Reiter. In these years Michel Montecrossa wrote several children's books ('Vier Märchen der Liebe') and drew cartoons (including 'Sinus und der Erdgeist'). In addition to song composing he turned in his musical work to creating modern, classical instrumental music, which he combined in part with poem recitations. As film producer, he was mainly involved in documentaries and, among others, has released a documentary about the visit of the Dalai Lama to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry and Auroville.

Expansion of the artistic, musical, literary and philosophical work (1969-1981)

From 1969 till 1981 Michel Montecrossa mainly lived in Auroville (South India) where he worked as an art teacher, musician, film-maker and author. During this time he also worked with the musician Sunil Bhattacharya as co-composer, producer and electric guitarist in nearby Pondicherry. With Sunil Bhattacharya, who was one of the pioneers of electronic music in India, he came in contact through Mira Alfassa. During the summer holidays Michel Montecrossa was in Europe to pursue his many artistic activities and to establish with the support of Mira Alfassa the Filmaur Multimedia - Film and Television Production Company. Mira Alfassa then put him in charge of the production of the 'Meditations on Savitri' film series, which she described as her legacy to the world. The series is an adaptation of Sri Aurobindo's major poetic work Savitri, visualized on the basis of drawings and descriptions by Mira Alfassa, combined with her recitations of passages from Savitri and her organ music. The Filmaur production company was founded April 24, 1972 and soon afterwards expanded with the departments Mira Sound Germany, Miraprint - digital and offset printing as well as the Mirapuri-Verlag into today's Filmaur Multimedia Germany. At the time, Michel Montecrossa also acted in the TV-serial 'Ehen vor Gericht' under the direction of Rupert Essberger and produced for the Swiss television an Auroville documentation and the documentary 'Meditation in Mahabalipuram'.

Development till the foundation and beginning of Mirapuri (1971-1981)

From 1971 onwards the idea of Mirapuri was taken up by interested friends, artists, workers and entrepreneurs, who in earnest began to prepare the design and creation of Mirapuri as a City of Peace and Future Man in Italy. This circle of friends formed the basis of the Mirapuri-Freunde e.V. (Friends of Mirapuri, registered society). The Friends of Mirapuri (Mirapuri-Freunde e.V.) now further pursued all the steps, from the first land purchases to initial construction work and to the founding of Mirapuri on 15 August 1978, near the village of Coiromonte in Northern Italy (Contact Address: Via Monte Faló 8, 28 011 Mirapuri-Coiromonte), and in 1981 to the establishment of Miravillage, the first satellite of Mirapuri in Gauting, Germany. In Miravillage, Danziger Str 1, since then the Filmaur Multimedia is located and runs additional production studios in Mirapuri. The Friends of Mirapuri (Mirapuri-Freunde e.V.) also financed the building of 'New Community', a social and cultural center in the Auroville settlement 'Certitude'. 'New Community' was one of the last projects that arose from the collaboration of Michel Montecrossa and Mira Alfassa. Founded in 1973 it is conceived as an international meeting place and as a guesthouse for Mirapuri friends. Michel Montecrossa led the creation of the New Community Center until its completion and full commissioning in 1978 and accompanied the local cultural activities in the New Community Center until 1981.

Activities in Mirapuri, marriage, and comprehensive artistic and ecological work (1981-2010)

Since 1981, Michel Montecrossa lives mainly in Mirapuri, which since then has grown into an independent, democratically organized community. In 1986 he adopted his stage name Montecrossa. In the Mirapuri community he helps with his artistic and entrepreneurial activities for the growth of Mirapuri and is committed through presentations and lectures to the development of the Sri Aurobindo University in Mirapuri as an international consciousness research university. In 1987 he married the artist and musician Mirakali, with whom he has two children. From 1986 onwards Michel Montecrossa began an intense and sustained period of film production including his 'Portrait', the Overground Musical 'Living the Experience', the 'Reality Rocker' series and the consciousness-stream musicals 'Invisible Wall' and 'The Resurrection Movie' which are dedicated to the cause of peace and climate change. Michel Montecrossa till the beginning of the 21st Century, created more than 2000 songs and symphonic compositions, which he performs in regular concerts (about 40 per year) since 1992. Michel Montecrossa also is, in collaboration with Sony BMG, one of the most comprehensive cover-artist of Bob Dylan's song work. Other musicians who were reinterpreted by Michel Montecrossa include Robert Johnson, Jimmy Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Stan Jones, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Freddy Quinn, Lonnie Donegan, Paul Anka, Robbie Robertson, Françoise Hardy, Kris Kristofferson, Led Zeppelin, Holly Sherwood , Ulali and Avril Lavigne. In his own songs, Michel Montecrossa is together with his band The Chosen Few (Mirakali, Diana Antara, Mirachandra, David Butterfield, Artis Aldschalis) committed to peace, free spirit, and tackling climate change. For the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he wrote the song 'Believe in your Dream,' which through the support of the Deutschen Olympischen Sportbund (German Olympic Sports Federation) was performed in the athletics stadium. For the world exhibition Expo 2008 in Saragossa, he wrote the internationally acclaimed song 'Water is Life' and produced a film for the song that was displayed during the entire duration of the Expo. Also in this time Michel Montecrossa's song 'This World Is My World' was presented by an advertising campaign of the Dutch newspaper AD. During the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, Michel Montecrossa supported him in the media with the song 'New President' and received the message 'Keep on moving with your saving message'. As an activist he promotes afforestation, the development of energy-efficient houses, and young, progressive music and art through the sponsorship of several international cultural festivals in Mirapuri (International Film Festival, Festival of Peace, Spirit of Woodstock Festival and World Literature Festival). The literary work of Michel Montecrossa includes more than 40 major works in the fields of poetry, song lyrics, short stories, novels, philosophy and art. In addition to the English 'The Sunrevolution', the German 'Mirapuri und die Philosophie des Spirituellen Realismus' and a multi-volume Mirapuri documentation are the most important basic works for studying the thoughts and world-views of Michel Montecrossa. The filmography of Michel Montecrossa includes more than 40 productions in short film and feature film length. The essential characteristic of his films is the Stream of Consciousness style. Michel Montecrossa's films fall into the following genres: documentary, meditative film, sci-fi action, CG and Consciousness Stream musical. The visual art of Michel Montecrossa includes hundreds of paintings, drawings and digital Cyber-Art pictures in different styles and techniques. His architectural designs are incorporated into the design of Mirapuri. His art is exhibited internationally. In 2001 he published the novel 'Tarana and the Island of Immortality' in German and English. More recently, Michel Montecrossa engaged in the field of healing and wellness music as well as sacred music. His large-scale, multi-hour wellness music work 'Sound and Soul World Cybersymphony' was performed on 10 November 2007 during the Liquid Sound Festival in the Toskana Therme, Bad Sulza. His sacred music masterpiece 'The Jesus Symphony', on which he worked for several years, had premiere on 14 November 2009 in the St. Martin's Church Lagerlechfeld, Germany. Michel Montecrossa in 2010 completed the production of the first part of his Courage and Love Climate Change musical 'The House of Time' which he began to shoot in May 2009 in Paris. Invited by the Program Director Ph. D. Igor Neshcheret of the cultural and educational program 'Images of Human Communication' organization committee of Interuniversity UNESCO Chair of Philosophy of Human Communication (Kharkov, Ukraine) Michel Montecrossa's Stream of Consciousness Musical 'Going To The Spirit Of Woodstock Festival In Mirapuri' had its Ukrainian premiere on 17 November 2010 at the famous 'Bommer Cinema' in Kharkov.

New-Topical-Song-Movement, Evolver Books, Art and Movie Making (2011-2012)

In 2011 Michel Montecrossa started the "New-Topical-Song-Movement" with the aim to create a continuous series of topical songs about social, political, ecological and economical matters of our time. In these songs he encourages positive awareness and solution finding. By the end of 2011 the New-Topical-Song-Movement gained international momentum with surpassing 1 million viewers (Vimeo statistics) and reaching a worldwide audience in more than 90 countries.

For most of the New-Topical-Songs Michel Montecrossa created Music Videos in his "Stream Of Consciousness Movie Style". Important New-Topical-Song-Movement-Movie releases in 2011 are "Vision & Action" and "Occupy Wall Street" followed by "Evolver Cool" in 2012, presenting 73 internationally acclaimed topical songs and movies.

Parallel to the New-Topical-Song-Movement Michel Montecrossa published in 2011-2012 several Evolver Books about social and consciousness growth issues:

Simultaneously the theme of liberal awareness buildings is expressed by Michel Montecrossa in his paintings, drawings and digital cyberart which is made accessible through the internet and exhibitions in Italy and Germany .

In 2012 Michel Montecrossa entered the production phase for part two of his "The House Of Time" Sci-Fi and CG feature-movie with the title "Every Day Is The Day".

In the field of modern classical music he completed the sacral music-triptych about the life of Jesus with the "Jesus Symphony", "The Maria Magdalena Symphony" and "The Christmas Symphony". Two more symphonies with the titles "Love & Unity Symphony" and "The Symphony Of Light" were also recorded in 2012. Both are orchestral compositions combined with short recitations of poetry.

Discography (selection)

Albums

Box Sets

Writings (selection)

Filmography (selection)

Links