September 4, 2009: BBC Symphony Orchestra / David Robertson
Opening Concert of MusikFest Berlin with the works of Iannis Xenakis

Iannis XenkaisThe sound of Nomos Gamma transforms space into experience. The instruments of the orchestra arranged all over the hall, will surround the listener. The music does not preach. It draws the listener in its middle, into her center of power, from where the music is becoming ritual. Nomos Gamma is an answer to the eruptions of catastrophes, which formed the experiences of the world war generations, especially of those who have been chased. Quite similar considerations must have leaded Dimitri Schostakowitsch in the summer of 1945 to the decision, not to fulfill the regular expectations of monumentality when he composed his Ninth Symphony. Winners will be celebrated with sounds of triumph – but a military victory do not mean a victory of humanity.




July 3, 2009: CAA Summer PArty at the PanAm Lounge

PanAMThe Contemporary Arts Alliance Berlin and the Deutsche Guggenheim Club cordially invite to their second summer party at the PanAm Lounge.

The Berlin GOGOS will be performing “Interventions” – a choreography by Christoph Winkler.




August 27, 2009: #7 Lecture at Home
A talk on contemporary music by Iannis Xenakis with Dr. Winrich Hoppe and Dr. Margarete Zander

Phillips Pavillon Milan Kundera called the composer Iannis Xenakis a „prohète de l’insensibilité“. Being sentenced to death as a resistance fighter in Greece, Xenakis flew to Paris after World War II., where he became an architect working together with LeCorbusier. Upon Messiaens advice Iannis Xenakis turned to music, which he revolutionized through his works: „The listener has to be taken, if he wants to or not, and drawn into the trajectory of sound. The sensual shock will be equally striking as a thunder stroke or the view into a deep abyss.“ Dr. Winrich Hopp, director of MusikFest Berlin, and Dr. Margarete Zander, director of Ultraschall Festival and CAA expert for contemporary music, will give an introduction into the work of Iannis Xenakis. (Photo: Philips Pavillon, 1958: Le Corbusier; Iannis Xenakis; Edgard Varèse)




Juni 17, 2009: #6 CAA Lecture:
„Genius, social worker, therapist – artists today” with Beatrice von Bismarck

People, who have art objects manufactured by others, supply coffee, give away handling instructions or organize sleeping option for the homeless – when do we speak of “artists”? How and why are these people described as artists and do claim the term for themselves? What kind of promises, freedom, and expectations are connected with it? Beatrice von Bismarck, CAA expert for contemporary art, will answer these question with a survey of the main artistic positions of the last 20 years.




June 4, 2009: Visit of the casting house Noack, the most distinguished casting house in Germany

Bildgiesserei Noack Since its founding in 1897 the family business – now in the fourth generation – works in close contact with the artists, realizing their ideas. Georg Kolbe, Käthe Kollwitz, Bernhard Heiliger, Henry Moore, Rainer Kriester, Anselm Kiefer, Fritz Koenig, Joseph Beuys and many more relied on the knowledge of the Noacks casting house.




May 22, 2009: Preview – Imi Knoebel „Ich Nicht“ at the Deutsch Guggenheim

Imi Knoebel The work of the pupil of Joseph Beuys appears with its groundbreaking questions for form and color – even more so in the context of the return of the younger generations to abstract art of the Sixties and Seventies – more up-to-date than ever. The title of the exhibition ICH NICHT (not me) answers Barnett Newmans questions „Who’s afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?“ About 200 collages, drawings, photography and prints offer a deep insight look into the work  of Imi Knoebel – equally honoring his work on paper.




May 7, 2009: Private Dinner at Katharina Ehler´s Home (Board Member of CAA)

Nina Ender, the first stipendiary of CAA in the contemporary theater section, will present lyric rap and texts.




April 30 – May 1, 2009: CAA on Tour
Invitation to visit the galleries at Baumwollspinnerei Leipzig / Halle 14

baumwollspinnereiHalle 14 (hall 14) is a place to see, think about and communicate about contemporary art. The five-storey building is located on the area of the former Bauwollspinnerei (cotton mill) in Leipzig. Since 1990 artist, galleries and other creatives are establishing a productive surrounding for the arts in HALLE 14.




26. March: „Pretty Talk: Cage and Beyond“ (2009)
A concert by and with Carsten Nicolai and Michael Nyman in the context of MaerzMusik

The first co-production of these two artists/musicians Michael Nyman and Carsten Nocolai aka alva noto is based on Michael Nymans work „Pretty Talk for George Brecht“ from 1968. The new work achieves a new interpretation and an audio-visual enhancement of the 40 year old work. Michael Nyman wrote this piece during his experimental phase on the advice of George Brecht, the recently deceased Fluxus artist. The works material bears on the LP from a birdseed manufacturer, which was supposed to teach birds how to speak.




04. September 2009: BBC Symphony Orchestra / David Robertson
ERÖFFNUNGSKONZERT des MusikFest Berlin mit Werken von Iannis Xenakis

Iannis XenkaisDer Klang von Nomos Gamma macht den Raum zur Erfahrung. Die Orchesterinstrumente sind im Saal verteilt, umgeben den Hörer. Die Musik predigt nicht, sondern zieht den Hörer in ihre Mitte, in ihr Kraftzentrum, aus dem heraus sich die Musik zum Ritual entfaltet. Nomos Gamma antwortet auf die Eruption der Katastrophen, welche die Erfahrung der Weltkriegsgeneration, besonders der Verfolgten unter ihnen, prägte. Eine ähnliche Überlegung muss Dmitri Schostakowitsch im Sommer 1945 dazu gebracht haben, mit seiner Neunten Symphonie nicht die offiziellen Erwartungen von Monumentalität und triumphalem Durchbruch zu erfüllen. Er begab sich auf die Rückseite der großen Gesten und der Siegerposen, dorthin, wo sich das Erleben der Menschenmehrheit abspielt, und »meldete sich mit der Schärfe eines intuitiven Volkstümlers zu Wort« (S. Wolkow). Mit Triumphtönen lassen sich Sieger feiern; aber Siege der Militärs und der Macht bedeuten nicht auch Siege der Menschlichkeit. (Karten für die Freunde und Förderer der CAA 50% ermäßigt)




27. August 2009: #7 Lecture at Home
Ein Gespräch zu zeitgenössischer Musik von Iannis Xenakis mit Dr. Winrich Hopp und Dr. Margarete Zander

Phillips Pavillon Einen „prohète de l’insensibilité“ nannte Milan Kundera den Komponisten Iannis Xenakis. In Griechenland als Widerstandskämpfer zum Tode verurteilt, floh Xenakis nach dem II. Weltkrieg nach Paris, wo er neben Le Corbusiers Architekt wurde und zahlreiche Projekte entwarf und realisierte. Von Messiaen bestärkt, wandte er sich ganz der Musik zu, die er mit seinen Werken revolutionierte: „Der Hörer muss gepackt und, ob er will oder nicht, in die Flugbahnen der Klänge hineingezogen werden. Der sinnliche Schock muss ebenso eindringlich werden wie der Schlag des Donners oder der Blick in einen bodenlosen Abgrund.“ Dr. Winrich Hopp, Leiter des Musikfest Berlin, und Dr. Margarete Zander, Ultraschall Festival und CAA Expertin für zeitgenössische Musik, geben eine Einführung in das Werk Iannis Xanekis´. (Photo: Philips Pavillon, 1958: Le Corbusier; Iannis Xenakis; Edgard Varèse)






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