exploratorium berlin

Workshop in German language. For more details see German version.

Workshop in German language. For further information see German version.

In German language. For more details see German version.

Upcoming dates until January 2022:
17.06. | 12.08. | 02.09. | 14.10. | 25.11. | 16.12. | 20.01.22

In times of Corona, special rules also apply in the exploratorium, which are summarized here: link

Nicola L. Hein (DE) – guitar, electronics
Christian Grüny (DE) – text, philosophy
Simon Rose (UK/DE) – baritone saxophone
Claudia Schmitz (DE) – moving image on sculpture
Maria Colusi (AR/DE) – dance

Moderation: Mathias Maschat

The Denkraum series Sound & Lecture combines the presentation of an artistic project with an artist talk moderated by Mathias Maschat. Guests are Nicola Hein, Christian Grüny, Simon Rose, Claudia Schmitz and Maria Colusi with Aspect Seeing – An Artistic Re-Reading.

The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein described the nature of our perception, to understand a word, an image or a sound in context, as ‘aspect seeing’. The interdisciplinary project Aspect Seeing – An Artistic Re-Reading starts with this phenomenon. Music, philosophical text, dance and video meet each other and meet in improvisation. Aspect seeing, as well as the associated ability of aspect change, is reflected artistically and philosophically on several levels. One of the concerns is to question the potential of Wittgenstein’s engagement with perceptual psychology and construction of meaning in a reinterpretation by the arts, in their interaction and relationality.

The performance is the start of the symposium Sinn und Präsenz in Improvisation.

Admission: 12/10/6 € (normal price/reduced/Berlin-Pass)

6th symposium at the exploratorium berlin
An event by the DENKRAUM IMPROVISATION

PARTICIPATION ONLY VIA LIVESTREAM: https://www.youtube.com/exploratoriumberlin
Unfortunately, due to the ongoing corona situation and the associated conditions, we cannot open the symposium to the public.

***Please note that the conference will predominantly be held in German.***

Keynotes:
Christian Grüny: Diagrammatische Improvisation und der Sinn des Heterogenen
Nicola L. Hein: Das Paradigma der Präsenz und Modi der Temporalität in den Critical Improvisation Studies
Mathias Maschat: Präsenz als improvisationsästhetische Kategorie

Further contributions:
Christoph Baumann, Jean Beers, Carl Bergström-Nielsen, Corinna Eikmeier, Reinhard Gagel, Thomas Gerwin, Jin Hyun Kim, Doris Kösterke, Urban Mäder, Mattin, Annemarie Michel, Alex Nowitz, Nina Polaschegg, Ursel Schlicht, Wolfgang Schliemann, Sabine Vogel und Andrew Wass

The DENKRAUM IMPROVISATION will host, mostly in German language, from 14.–15. August 2021 the symposium Sinn und Präsenz in Improvisation (“Meaning and Presence in Improvisation”). The focus here is on the terms meaning and presence as independent entities, as opposing moments as well as overlapping and complementary aesthetic categories.

Whether and to what extent sound can be a bearer of meaning, or whether sound can represent meaning, has historically been the subject of numerous aesthetic considerations and debates around music. The question about it culminated, for example, in the dispute between program music and absolute music or in the demand for an abstract hearing of concrete sounds in the musique concrète. Before any ascription of meaning, however, sound is first of all there, present, immediate and phenomenal. If one leaves aside the grounding of any music in cultural contexts for a moment, the category of presence is without a doubt a strong moment of musical experience in general. Following this, the question arises to what extent meaning and presence in connection with improvisation or improvised music can be treated as independent categories, to what extent they must be negotiated as mutually exclusive opposites or, on the contrary, as aspects of improvisation or improvised music that are necessarily related.

Both meaning and presence are ambiguous terms that are used differently in different contexts. On the one hand, meaning stands for the referential meaning of language and signs in a semantic, semiotic or symbolic reading. On the other hand, meaning encompasses the reason, aim, intention, fulfillment, or higher purpose of an action. Presence can spatially refer to a being-there and at the same time temporally to a being-in-the-moment. The term functions as a description of a characteristic of a purely phenomenal world, quasi as a reference to the assumption of something non-representational. In addition, presence can refer to an auratic or to charisma.

The focus of the symposium on the pair of terms in their combination stems from the philosophically introduced, sometimes criticized juxtaposition of meaning and presence as separate or at least tense spheres of experience and interpretation of the world. In precisely these discussions, presence opens the gates into a world of direct experience, into a world behind or next to that which can be explored through interpretation and hermeneutics – beyond any concrete content. With regard to improvisation, all of the horizons of meaning mentioned can certainly shed light on relevant perspectives. Overall, however, the moment of presence experience in a predominantly abstract art form such as contemporary improvisation appears to have priority over conveying and deciphering meaning. But what happens in other forms of improvisation that combine concrete content with specific musical structures and conventions? What happens in contemporary improvisation when elements of the linguistic are integrated? Or when freely improvised pieces are given titles afterwards? What happens when improvised music is combined in an interdisciplinary manner with other art forms and abstract sounds come into relation with more concrete forms of artistic expression? What about the referential character of art or levels of intertextuality?

While presence should be questioned in its full range, with regard to meaning, the question of elements of clear referential meaning is in the foreground. In addition, however, the constitution of meaning can also be questioned and described as a fulfilling meaningfulness of improvisational activity.

The symposium starts on Friday evening (August 13) at 8 p.m. with the performance Aspect Seeing – An Artistic Re-Reading by Nicola L. Hein (guitar, electronics), Christian Grüny (text, philosophy), Simon Rose (baritone saxophone) , Claudia Schmitz (moving image on sculpture) and Maria Colusi (dance). It takes place as part of the exploratorium berlin’s Sound & Lecture series, which combines performances with artist talks moderated by Mathias Maschat.

Call for Papers (German only)

»Sinn und Präsenz in Improvisation«, leading article by Mathias Maschat for field notes Magazin #20 – Zeitgenössische Musik und Jazz in Berlin, January/February 2021, p. 2–4

Reinhard Gagel – piano
Peter Jarchow – piano

The pianists Reinhard Gagel and Peter Jarchow have known each other for a long time, talk a lot and at length about improvisation and often find amazing similarities in their views. Both are curious to see if and how their shared thinking also affects their playing.

The pre-arrangement: They will think about playing together for the first time when they sit at the pianos for the start of the concert.

Free entry, donations welcome

Registration via booking form required.

Welcome to our monthly meeting for makam-based improvisation!
Once a month on Sunday, we will meet at noon to play and improvise together in a given makam or two for two full hours. The improvisation will be lead by Tayfun Guttstadt on the Ney. Theoretical aspects will be worked on, too, but the focus is on playing together and feel the mood of the respective makam. Typical forms of oriental music will also be introduced, everything by playing and feeling.

All instruments including voice and all levels welcome.  
Can take place again with up to ten people.
 

Dates until January 2022:
13.06. | 22.08. | 19.09. | 17.10. | 07.11. | 12.12. | 16.01.

In times of Corona, special rules also apply in the exploratorium, which are summarized here: link

Please note that pre-registration is required for all events due to the limited number of places. The registration form can be found at the bottom of this page.

The Open Stage is an offer for experienced improvisers in music, dance and other arts. It provides the opportunity of monthly artistic explorations in varying adhoc ensembles. There are no restraints for playing, the performances emerge solely from mutual perception and (re)acting.

Listeners/spectators are welcome, too.

The dates until January 2022:
13.06. | 22.8. | 26.09. | 31.10. | 28.11. | 19.12. | 16.01.2022

The event can take place again from June, but with a maximum of 20 participants. Therefore, please register using the form below. In addition, the current Corona rules apply, which are summarised here: link

Only in German language. For more details see German description.

Upcoming dates until January 2022
25.06. | 27.8. | 24.9. | 12.11. | 10.12. | 21.1.22

In times of Corona, special rules also apply in exploratorium, which are summarised here: https://exploratorium-berlin.de/en/regulations-in-times-of-corona/

Improvisation für strings – violin / viola / cello / double bass
and any other string instruments which can be played with bow

Next course August–June 2022:
28.08. | 18.09. | 02.10. | 06.11. | 11.12. | 08.01.

In German language. For details see German version.

In times of Corona, special rules also apply in the exploratorium, which are summarized here: link

Please note that pre-registration is required for all events due to the limited number of places. The registration form can be found at the bottom of this page.

A Makam, the basic concept of all oriental music, is more than a scale. It includes rules of how to make use of the notes given. When these rules are followed, very different feelings can be created with the same scales or notes.

We will improvise together, starting with just a few notes and then, following the rules of the respective Makam, broaden the range. By doing this, we will develop new ideas of how to use the whole range of our scale and/or instrument and explore the richness of even single notes.

In the end, we will not only have gained ideas about the most common makams and makam concepts in general, but also a new vision on improvisation in general. All instruments and voice welcome.

Basic musical knowledge required.

Workshop language ist German and/or English according to the needs of the participants.

Please note that pre-registration is required for all events due to the limited number of places. The registration form can be found at the bottom of this page.

Workshop in German language. For more details see German version.

Continuous course in German language. For more details see German version.

In times of Corona, special rules also apply in the exploratorium, which are summarized here: link