About the Conference »Time to Listen« 2023

The two-day conference followed the 2022 conference of the same name. The Academy of Arts and field notes berlin / inm cooperated again. Together they curated a program that, on the one hand, focused on artistic productions in the fields of ecology and sound and, on the other hand, invited the scene to exchange content within the framework of several open space sessions. In particular, this second part of the symposium built on the discussions of the first edition in October 2022. The report on the first conference in 2022 can be read here. 
 
In an Open Space format, the conference brought together artists, curators, activists from the field of contemporary music, and sustainability experts to rethink our relationships with each other and the environment, as well as to develop new visions for the future through the means of contemporary music. The conference provided an opportunity to gain knowledge, form new networks, and launch initiatives.

While the focus of sustainability and culture is often on reducing the negative impact of the sector (ecological footprint), this year's »Time to Listen« conference explored the question of how we can have a positive impact through art and culture. For this reason, various artistic approaches to the topic were presented and the special potential of music to have a positive influence on social change was examined. What knowledge and what impact do music and sound have and to what extent is hearing and listening a prerequisite for a deep understanding and engagement with the environment? The responsibility and role of art with regard to sustainability was discussed in discussion groups and it was repeatedly confirmed that taking a global perspective is productive and necessary when answering this question.

On 19th August – in addition to sound walks and tours with presentations on sound installations by David Monacchi, Frau von Da, Jacob Kirkegaard, Susan Ibarra, Claudia Gonzáles Godoy, Marcus Maeder, and the Acoustic Ecology Lab – there was an open discussions with artists on the topics of »Artistic Practice Between Community, Science, and Aesthetics« and »Autonomy of Art and Political Engagement«.

On August 20, the symposium continued with an open space in which Gilles Aubry, Emily Doolittle, Halim Sbai, Mimi Doulton, Edoardo Micheli, Amanda Gutierrez and Nele Möller addressed the central themes and questions of the symposium in workshops, open discussion rounds, lectures and listening sessions. The documentation of the Open Space sessions »Time to Listen« 2023 can be found here.
 

Program

Fr., August 18th 2023 Opening

6 p.m. Opening Festival und Conference
Opening Speech: Kathrin Röggla
Impuls: Iris ter Schiphorst, Composer
Cécile Wajsbrot: Lecture from »Adieu à l'hiver«, with engl. /german Subtitles, Sound Collages by Carola Bauckholt
Carola Bauckholt/Karin Hellqvist: »Solastalgia« (2023, 20’), 8-channel composition and video by Eric Lanz, with Karin Hellqvist, violin, commissioned by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee
 
7 p.m. Opening of the exhibition
with seven Sound Installations by Peter Ablinger, Claudia González Godoy, Susan Ibarra, Jacob Kirkegaard, FrauVonDa, Winfried Ritsch, Daniel Rothman
 
9 p.m. Concert and Lecture
Marcus Maeder: »Esperito da floresta/Der Geist des Waldes« for 9 female voices and playing
Impuls: Matthias Rillig, Biologist, »Global Change Factors«
Marcus Maeder: New piece (2023, World Premiere), Electro-acoustic 8-channel composition (commissioned by the Academy of Arts in cooperation with the FU Berlin – Institute of Biology)
Marcus Maeder: »Rieselfelder Hobrechtsfelde: Kadmium (2023, UA) for 9 female voices (Commission of the Festivals Klanglandschaften)
With: Berliner Frauen-Vokalensemble, Conductor: Lothar Knappe)
In cooperation with the Institut für Biologie der FU Berlin and the Festival Klanglandschaften

Sa., August 19th 2023 – 1st day of the Conference

11 a.m. Welcome / Sabine Vogel »Tuning-in«
12 a.m. Lecture by Marcus Maeder: »Soil, Sonification, Boden«
2 p.m. Exhibition Tour
with Presentations by FrauVonDa, Jacob Kirkegaard, Daniel Rothman 
3 p.m. Open Exchange
»Artistic practice between science and aesthetics« | Moderation: Kirsten Reese 
 
4 p.m. Concert 
David Monacchi Präsentation
David Monacchi: »Fragments of Extinction« (2020, 16‘), 8-channel, sound documentation of primary forests on three continents
Kristine Tjøgersen: »Avian Chatters (2021, 10‘), for solo Violin
David Monacchi: »Paleoscapes Borneo«  (2023, 21‘), for 8-channel, unedited recording of a primary forest in the Danum Valley / Malaysia
Liza Lim: »One and the Other« (2022, 10‘), for solo Violin
with Karin Hellqvist, Violine
 
5.30 p.m. Exhibition Tour
with presentations by Susan Ibarra, Claudia Gonzáles Godoy and Winfried Ritsch / Peter Ablinger
 
6.30 p.m. Open Exchange
»Autonomy of art, community work and political commitment« | Moderation: Kirsten Reese 

8 p.m. Concert
Part 1:
Karen Power/Loré Lixenberg: »language land sea« (2023, 35-40‘, DE) for voice, 4-channel electronics and video, commissioned by Loré Lixenberg funded by The Arts Council of Ireland
Karen Power: Composition, electronics, video, Loré Lixenberg: voice
Part 2:
Jacob Kirkegaard: »Landet« (2022, 60 min) Composition for 8-channel electronics

So., August 20th 2023 – 2nd day of the Conference

10.30 a.m. VIVAJAQUI Kollektiv, Performance
 
11.30 a.m. Session I
Gilles Aubry »Sawt, Bodies, Species Ecological voices and interspecies performance« 
Emily Doolittle »Recycled Sounds. A hands-on workshop on making music from trash«
 
12.30 a.m. Session II
Halim Sbai »Joudour Sahara Music Program«
Mimi Doulton »Imagining a flight-free future«
 
2.30 p.m. Session III
Edoardo Micheli »Sonic Ecosystems and Listening Communities«   
Presentation by the Residency-Team
 
3.30 p.m. Session IV
Amanda Gutierrez »Aural Border Thinking as a listening methodology«
Nele Möller »(un)recording the field«
 
4.30 p.m. Plenum: Condensation and Outlook

6 a.m. Artist Talk Perspektivwechsel 
»What Forms of Knowledge and agency lie in Sound?« with Tania Rubio and Giada Dalla Bontà | Moderation: Johanna Keller
 
7:30 p.m. Concert
Part 1:
Rama Gottfried: »Scenes from the Plastisphere / Animism« (2018/2023, 20‘) for five Performer and Video-Puppetry-Instrument
Sarah Nemtsov: »Mountain & Maiden« (2019, 24‘) for keyboard solo to a film by Shmuel Hoffman & Anton von Heiseler. With musicians from ensemble mosaik
Part 2
Concert »Acoustic Ecology Lab – Mexico/Germany«
Sabine Vogel: »Ch’íich« (2023, 20’) for 8-channel playback and ceramic flutes
Sabine Vogel Flutes
Film footage by Judith Egger, Ceramic flutes by Nash Tavewa
Tania Rubio: »Yok' ol kabo'o«  (2023, 20’) 
Tania Rubio Composer and Artistic Director of the Lab
Fernando Domínguez clarinet and performance
Sabine Vogel, flute and performance
Judith Egger, Video und Performance
Research and production supported by the Goethe-Institut's International Coproduction Fund