Music becomes a physical experience in Berlin as the NOW HERE Festival opens at the Konzerthaus Berlin on the Gendarmenmarkt.
The event runs from Nov. 13 to Nov. 21, transforming the concert hall into a space where bodily engagement with sound takes center stage, according to qiez.de.
The Konzerthaus and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin collaborated with two main partners to build the program. The independent collective Detect Sounds and the platform İÇ İÇE shaped the schedule alongside the orchestra, bringing together classical, electronic, and post-migrant music perspectives.
Stravinsky in the Grand Hall
One of the central highlights features an unconventional performance of Igor Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps.” Audience members experience the complex polyrhythms while standing rather than sitting in the Grand Hall, allowing the music to resonate physically.
“Stravinsky’s polyrhythms in Le sacre du printemps are felt differently in the body when standing than when seated in the Grand Hall – and then transition into an improvised live electronic set,” stated Konzerthaus Berlin.
Following the Stravinsky performance, the event moves directly into an improvised live electronic set. The lineup also features Ibrahim Maalouf with his band, alongside a collaboration between the Detect Ensemble and Acid Pauli.
Voguing and Inclusive Theater Expand Physical Expression
Physicality extends beyond the orchestra pit through performances from Berlin’s voguing scene and the inclusive Theater Thikwa. Performer’s from the voguing scene anchor a liederabend that examines sexuality and sensuality through physical movement.
Meanwhile, artists with and without disabilities from Theater Thikwa stage a fairy-tale play where the entire body functions as a primary expressive tool, as reported by qiez.de.
The programming also dedicates a full day to new Anatolian music and post-migrant perspectives. Curated alongside İÇ İÇE, this day creates space for cultural exchange and community strengthening centered on current Berlin music.
Concerts Emphasize Physical Engagement Through Nov. 21
The festival continues through Nov. 21, giving audiences just over a week to experience the scheduled performances. Every concert places physical engagement at the center of sensory perception, according to Konzerthaus Berlin.
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