Mario Batkovic

Mario Batkovic is a Swiss accordion player, composer and producer, born in Banja Luka in 1980 and based in Switzerland. He is known for solo accordion work that sits around experimental music, post-minimalism, contemporary classical and minimalism, while also drawing on a wide range of other musical worlds.

Solo approach

Batkovic’s playing focuses on the acoustic qualities of the accordion itself. He uses scratches, clicks and other mechanical noises as part of the arrangement, treating the instrument’s imperfections as a feature rather than something to remove. His music can move between low, distorted textures and sounds that resemble analogue synthesis, but the writing and arrangement remain central.

As a teenager, he spends several years experimenting with the accordion without effects, developing an approach based on listening closely to single tones. This leads him to pursue the instrument on its own terms and to work toward expanding its sonic possibilities. He does not align himself with one style, instead combining elements from different musical traditions into a concentrated personal sound.

Education and career

Batkovic studies with Prof. Elspeth Moser at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover and later graduates with a Master of Arts in Chamber Music Improvisation from the MusikAkademie in Basel. He describes his path as one shaped by opposing impulses: the classical precision of conservatoire training on one side, and the anarchic energy of band performance on the other.

He works in Switzerland as a producer for other musicians and is involved in several bands and projects. He also runs his own studio in Canton Bern and operates his own record label there.

Labels, collaborations and touring

After his music is introduced to Geoff Barrow of Portishead, Batkovic is invited to support Beak on their 2015 UK tour. Barrow later signs him to Invada and works with him on several tracks that appear on an album. His work is also associated with the group Kummerbuben.

Recognition and film work

Batkovic receives the Artist Recognition Award from the Capital in Canton Bern. He is also regarded as a film score composer, and projects he works on receive nominations and awards.