Festival
Month of Contemporary Music
Four weeks of Contemporary Music, Sound Art, Music Theater, Echtzeitmusik Improvisation and Discourse
August 27 - September 30, 2021
Berlin would not be Berlin and the independent scene would not be the independent scene without the city’s and our musical landscape’s innovative effects on social and cultural coexistence. Public space is currently being reclaimed, on the streets and in the parks. This is the spirit that characterizes this year's Month of Contemporary Music from 27 August to 30 September 2021, presenting the unparalleled diversity of Berlin's contemporary music in concerts, performances and sound installations.
Prelude
This year's month of contemporary music will be heralded with a prelude to the new edition of the legendary sound art festival sonambiente on August 20, 2021 at Tegel Airport, which for the first time since its closure offers space for art. Three sound installations by sound and media artists Emeka Ogboh, Blixa Bargeld and Susan Philipsz will be played over the loudspeaker system of Terminals A and B. At the end of the tour, Laurie Anderson invites the audience to fly to the moon with her virtual reality installation.
Opening and summer party
The month of contemporary music will open a week later on August 27 with a summer party at Labor Sonor: Translating Spaces. The festival focuses on space as an actor. Eight commissioned works from composers and installation artists such as Sabine Ercklentz, Frank Bretschneider and the duo Nguyễn & Transitory will be presented over three days at different locations.
Sound Walk
With the Sound > Walk > Berlin, the contemporary music scene is reclaiming the urban space. Artists, ensembles and venues of the contemporary music scene are redesigning various locations throughout Berlin, inviting residents and visitors to experience the city from the perspective of the artists. Through curated routes and locations, the city and the contemporary music scene can be (re)discovered at the same time.
Guided by a virtual city map, visitors can experience music and sounds of Berlin artists which interact specifically with the organic sounds of locations throughout the city, which provided the starting points of unique sound experiences. The map can be accessed using QR codes that are posted across the city or via this link https://www.field-notes.berlin/soundwalk/. Sounds can be streamed at each location. An app is not required, but good headphones enhance the sound experience.
Program
In addition, there are around 100 contemporary music events at over 40 Berlin venues and open air locations, with several projects dealing with the topic of (urban) space. The concert installation “Urban Morphologies” by Katharina Rosenberger and Betina Kuntzsch with ensemble mosaik, for example, deals with the acoustic-visual effects of gentrification processes (01.09., silent green Kulturquartier). The »BerlinBesenBallett« (04.09.) by katrinem plays on Berlin’s streets and public squares with specially-composed and choreographed “sweeping pieces” for broom instruments - Berliners are invited to the casting. With the "UA Berlin" series, Zafraan Ensemble is musically telling the history of Berlin from the 1910’s to the present day. In its concert at Kantine am Berghain (08.09.), Zafraan presents club culture, the heart of 90’s Berlin, and how composers of that time were inspired by it. In their mobile, participatory concert series »Orte und Räume«, Maulwerker dedicate themselves to selected locations in urban spaces in order to make them acoustically tangible. Together with Alexey Kokhanov as a guest, Maulwerker created new compositions for the Sarotti-Höfe which challenge the audience to reconstruct the space by listening, to pursue counterpoints around nooks and crannies, and to recompose the polyphony over and over again.
Artists, Ensembles, Groups and Collectives
(In) The Abyssity of the Grounds • Alex Arteaga • Alexey Kokhanov • Amalgam • Amanar & Thomas Ankersmit • Anaïs Tuerlinckx • André Vida • Andrea Ermke • Andrea Parkins • Anna Prohaska • Annette Krebs • Annti Virtaranta • Ariel Orah • AuditivVokal Dresden • Aurealities Ensemble • Bijan Chemirani • Bilawa Respati • Biliana Voutchkova • Blixa Bargeld • Bundesjugendchor • Burkhard Beins • Carina Khorkhordina • Chico Mello • Christian Kesten • Christina Ertl-Shirley • Clara de Asís • Contagious (Andrea Neumann, Mieko Suzuki, Sabine Ercklentz) • Daniela Fromberg & Stefan Roigk • David-Maria Gramse • Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin • Doriene Marselje • Duo Conradi-Gehlen • Eagle Wu • Elena Poulou • Emeka Ogboh • Enno Poppe • Enrico Sartori • Ensemble Broken Frames Syndicate (Offenbach a.M.) • Ensemble Horizonte • Ensemble Modern Orchestra • ensemble mosaik • Ensemble Musikfabrik • Eric Bauer • Eric Bauer / Lena Czerniawska / Carina Khorkhordina • Evelyn Saylor • Francesco Corti • Francesco Maria Tipaldi • Frank Bretschneider • FrauVonDa • Fred Lonberg-Holm • gamut inc • Georg Klein • Grunting Pigs • Haesoo Eshu Jung • Heywon Suk • Holon Trio • Humanization 4tet • Ido Bukelman • Ignaz Schick • Irène Blanc • Irene Kurka • Irene Kurka • Japanisch-Deutsches Zentrum Berlin • JD Zazie • Jean-Luc Jossa • Joanna Bailie • Jobst Liebrecht • John Eckhardt • John-Dennis Renken • Josep Maria Martí Duran • Julia Reidy • Jutta Ravenna • Kairos Quartett • Karajan-Akademie der Berliner Philharmoniker • Katia Guedes • katrinem • Keyvan Chemirani • Kit Scotney • Kirsten Reese • Kollektiv Unruhe • Laure Boer • Laurie Anderson/Hsin-Chien Huang • Leila Bordreuil • Lena Mahler • Liam Byrne • Lisa Ullén • Liz Allbee • London Symphony Orchestra • Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra • LUX:NM • Magda Mayas • Mahler Chamber Orchestra • Marc Schmolling • Marc Sinan • Marcos Coll Band • Mari Sawada • Maria Bertel • Marina Poleukhina • Martin Brandlmeyer • Matthias Koole • MAULWERKER • Mazen Kerbaj • Meinrad Kneer • Meinrad Kneer • Michael Vorfeld • Microtub (the microtonal tuba trio of Robin Hayward, Peder Simonsen, and Martin Taxt) • Natalia Pschenitschnikova • Nataly Bleuel • Neuer Kammerchor Berlin • Nguyễn & Transitory • Nicolas Altstaedt • Nicolas Wiese • Orchester und Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin • Paul Clouvel • Philipp Gropper • PHØNIX16 • Pierre-Laurent Aimard • Pina Bettina Rücker • Project VO • PUT • Raed Yassin • Rebecca Beyer • Rieko Okuda • Rothko String Quartet • Rudi Fischerlehner • Ruth Wiesenfeld • Sabine Ercklentz • Saša Mirković • Sham Chung Tat • Slide Pluck Bow • Sokratis Sinopoulos • Sonar Quartett • sonic.art Saxophon-Quartett • Soul Thrivers • Soydivision Kollektiv • Spreehalle • Susan Alcorn • Susan Philipsz • Sylvia Hinz • The International Nothing • Thomas Gerwin • Tomeka Reid • Trio tempestoso • utrumque (Gerhard Eckel & Ludvig Elblaus) • Valentina Besegher • "Vertigo Transport (Marta Zapparoli und • Burkhard Beins)" • William Russell • Wolfgang Seidel • Yannis Kyriakides • Zafraaan Ensemble • Zbigniew Chojnacki • Zinc and Copper • uvm.
Concert Series and Festivals
AGGREGATE Festival • Berlin Solo Impro • BerlinBesenBallett • Clinker Lounge Concerts • CTM Festival • DARA String Festival • Domestic Hybrids • EnCounterpoints • Experimentik • FELD_ • Kiezsalon • klangzeitort • Musikfest Berlin der Berliner Festspiele • Outernational - transtraditional concert series • pyramidale#20 • Research and Waves • Selbstgebaute Musik • sonambiente berlin txl • Sonic Cinema • Soy & Synth • Unerhörte Musik
Venues and Locations
Acker Stadt Palast • Akademie der Künste • Alte Mälzerei Lichtenrade • Auenkirche • ausland berlin • Ballhaus Ost • BKA-Theater • BVG Tram • Changing Room • Deutsche Oper • East Side Gallery • exploratorium berlin • Flughafen Berlin-Tegel • Flutgraben e.V. • Friedhofspark Pappelallee • Großer Wasserspeicher • HAU1 • Haus der Indonesischen Kulturen • Kammermusiksaal • Kantine am Berghain • Kapelle der Versöhnung • KM28 • Liebig12 • MaHalla • Monom • öffentlicher Raum • ORWOhaus • Philharmonie • Pierre Boulez Saal • Prenzlauer Berg Museum • silent green Kulturquartier • Spätkauf Pappelallee • Spreehalle Berlin • Spreehalle Berlin • St. Elisabethkirche • St. Jacobi Friedhof • studio im HOCHHAUS • Tempelhofer Feld • tik – Theater im Kino • UdK Berlin • Vierte Welt • Villa Elisabeth • Werkhalle Wiesenburg • Zionskirche • uvm.
World Premieres
- Adrian Pop: »Antico inverno« (2019, UA)
- Anaïs Tuerlinckx: »Souvenirs éphémères pour bois trouvés le long de cordes flottants« (UA)
- Anaïs-Nour Benlachhab: »New Work« for violin (2021 UA)
- Ann Cleare: »Neues Werk« für Klarinette, Violine, Violincello und Klavier. Kompositionsauftrag der National Concert Hall, Dublin und The Office for Public Work, Irland (Uraufführung)
- Anna Pospelova: »"K"« (2017)
- Artur Kroschel: »Nebelig« für Stimme solo (2020, UA)
- Beltrán González: »in more ways than one« for bass clarinet, percussion, piano, accordion, viola, cello and contrabass (2021 UA)
- Cat Hope: »Wanderlust« for great bass recorder + tape (2021, UA)
- Catherine Lamb: »NEW WORK« (2021, UA)
- Cathy Milliken: »Ver-Ge-Ent« (2021/UA)
- Chris Swithinbank: »Neues Werk« für Ensemble (2021, UA)
- Eleftherios Veniadis: »Echoes of Silence« (UA)
- Elsa M’Bala: »Graphic score I & II« für Helder-Tenorblockflöte solo + tape + Projektion (2020, UA)
- Emre Sihan Kaleli: »I am a Dipytch« für Klarinette, Akkordeon und Violoncello (2021, UA)
- Farzia Fallah: »Neues Werk« (UA 2021)
- Gabriel Mălăncioiu: »Luftagogia« (2019, UA)
- Golfam Khayam: »Seven Valleys of Love - Illusions« für Paetzold-Subgrossbassblockflöte solo (2020, UA)
- Hayden Chisholm: »Bonacci’s Son’s True Prime Time« (2021, UA)
- Heiner Goebbels: »A House of Calls. My Imaginary Notebook.« (2020, UA)
- Jeanne Strieder: »hinab« für Paetzold-Subgrossbassblockflöte solo (2021, UA)
- Jobst Liebrecht: »Sinfonie Nr. 4« für Sopran und Orchester (2021, UA)
- Johannes K. Hildebrandt: »Amnesie« Neufassung (2021, UA)
- Jörg Widmann: »Sister Death« letzte Szene aus der Oper Babylon | für Sopran, Violoncello, Orgel und Synthesizer | Kompositionsauftrag der Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin (Uraufführung)
- José Luis Perdigón: »ill-use II« for bass flute, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, percussion, piano, violin and cello (2020 UA)
- Karen Power: »bog songs« (2021/ UA)
- Katharina Rosenberger (Musik) / Betina Kuntzsch (Video):: »Urban Morphologies« Konzertinstallation (2021, UA)
- Katia Guedes: »Sitzen bleiben« für Sopran und Orchester (2021, UA)
- Laure Boer: »TORPOR« (2021)
- Liisa Hirsch: »Neues Werk« für Ensemble (2021, UA)
- Max E. Keller: »Miteinander - Zerfasern - Verweigern« (2021, UA)
- Maximilian Marcoll: »Amproprification VI: MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI« (2016-2020, UA)
- Michele Abondano: »We no longer sleep in the wind« für Paetzold-Kontrabassblockflöte solo (2020, UA)
- Moritz Eggert: »Wer hat Angst vor dem König« für Sopran und Orchester (2021, UA)
- Neue Werke von Jessica Ekomane und Seth Horvitz aka Rrose
- Neue Werke von Phillip Sollmann, Konrad Sprenger, Stefan Fraunberger, Nils Henrik Asheim.
- OKNUM: »Kelana« (2021)
- Radiolarie (Lena Mahler und Christina Ertl-Shirley): »Totes Holz« audiovisuelle Ausstellung (UA)
- Sonar Quartett: »PETRAM« vierteilige Eigenkomposition (2021/UA)
- Susanne Stelzenbach: »warten.weiter.warten« für vier Akkordeons und Orchester (2021, UA)
- Susanne Stelzenbach: »Widerhall« (2021, UA)
- Thomas Gerwin: »..würde ich sprechen..« für Sopran (2021, UA)
- Thomas Gerwin: »Soundscape No.8 – Klangschattenreflex« für Lyra, Klang-Objekte, „Cheap Electronic“ und elektroakustisches Zuspiel, Verlag Neue Musik (2020, UA)
- Violeta Dinescu: »Im Anhang findest Du…« für zwei Gitarren (2020, UA)
- Wolfgang Rihm: »Gebet der Hexe von Endor« aus den Materialien zum Theaterstück Saul von Botho Strauß | Kantate für Sopran und Violoncello | Kompositionsauftrag der Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin (Uraufführung)
- Yongbom Lee: »Rebus III« (2021, UA)
More information and Programm:
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