K O - H U M is a Berlin based company which curates, develops and promotes stimulating projects by artists working across sound, music, visual and performing arts.
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Founded in 2017, K O - H U M ’s core aim is to foster a dialogue between a range of disciplines by providing a platform where adventurous minds can encounter art that contextualizes, interprets, educates and expands culture, leading us to the edges of the contemporary experience.
D E S I G N I N G V O I C E S:
International Festival for Vocal Performance Art, Sound & Music
- Potsdam/Berlin, 2021
digital strategy & press
Dates: 2 – 7 November 2021
Various venues:
Französische Kirche Potsdam (2 – 3 Nov., each day 7 pm)
St. Matthäus-Kirche Berlin (4 – 6 Nov., each day 7 pm)
Nordic Embassies Felleshus Berlin (7 Nov., 11 am)
From the press-release:
DESIGNING VOICES features vocal performance artists as well as musicians who use their voice as integral part of their performance practice. The theme of 2021 revolves around the pipe organ, the voice and gesture-controlled live electronics.
The music performances of DESIGNING VOICES are accompanied by lecture-performances and audio-visual works, all of which illuminate the characteristics and peculiarities of contemporary vocal performance art.
The featured artists of DESIGNING VOICES are STEN SANDELL (Stockholm, SE) on organ, piano, voice and electronics and ALEX NOWITZ (Potsdam) on voice and live electronics (strophonion). In combination with their voices they bring together the tradition of pipe organ playing with the innovative performance practice of applying gesture-controlled live electronics. This year they launch the duet project called SAM.
Inviting the vocal performance artists TONE ÅSE (Trondheim, NO), FRANZISKA BAUMANN (Bern, CH), UTE WASSERMANN (Berlin) and the musicians MATTHIAS BAUER (Berlin), FRÉDÉRIC BLONDY (Avallon, FR), SABINE VOGEL (Potsdam) and BILIANA VOUTCHKOVA (Berlin), the duet of Sandell & Nowitz delves into an intriguing and intensive exchange with extraordinary, internationally renowned performers. Also, this way the instrumental range is expanded by bird call objects, double bass, prepared piano, a variety of flutes and the violin. DESIGNING VOICES showcases all of the invited artists as soloists as well.
Each day of the festival is themed differently. DESIGNING VOICES thus stresses those aspects that the invited artists are experts in or have an exceptional and unique approach to.
Festival program
— 2 Nov. 2021 (7 pm), Französische Kirche POTSDAM: b i r d s
SAM: Sten Sandell (pipe organ, piano, voice, electronics) & Alex Nowitz (voice, live electronics: strophonion), special guests: UTE WASSERMANN (voice, whistles), FRÉDÉRIC BLONDY (prepared piano, organ); audio-visual works by Alex Nowitz, Sten Sandell and Ute Wassermann
— 3 Nov. 2021 (7 pm), Französische Kirche POTSDAM: b o w s
SAM (Sten Sandell & Alex Nowitz), special guests: MATTHIAS BAUER (double bass, voice), BILIANA VOUTCHKOVA (violin, voice); lecture-performance by Alex Nowitz together with Matthias Bauer
— 4 Nov. 2021 (7 pm), St. Matthäus-Kirche BERLIN: p i p e s
SAM (Sten Sandell & Alex Nowitz), special guest: SABINE VOGEL (flutes, voice, objects); lecture-performances by Sten Sandell and Sabine Vogel; audio-visual work by Sabine Vogel
— 5 Nov. 2021 (7 pm), St. Matthäus-Kirche BERLIN: m o u t h s
SAM (Sten Sandell & Alex Nowitz), special guest: TONE ÅSE (voice, live electronics); lecture-performances by Franziska Baumann and Alex Nowitz
— 6 Nov. 2021 (7 pm), St. Matthäus-Kirche BERLIN: o p e r a d i c a l s
SAM (Sten Sandell & Alex Nowitz), special guest: FRANZISKA BAUMANN (voice, live electronics: sensorglove); lecture-performance by Tone Åse
— 7 Nov. 2021 (11 am), Nordic Embassies Felleshus BERLIN:
h a p p e n i n g t a l k s
Tone Åse, Franziska Baumann, Alex Nowitz, Sten Sandell and moderated by ELKE MOLTRECHT
The festival received support from Musikfonds e.V, the Ministry for Science, Research and Culture of the Federal State of Brandenburg (MWFK), the Royal Norwegian Embassy Berlin and the Swedish Embassy Berlin.
Festival team
Festival founder & curator: Alex Nowitz
Project Manager: Elke Moltrecht
Design by Brenda Alamilla
Digital Marketing & communications: Maria Orciuoli, Ilenia Orciuoli
Selected press
Photos by Sebastian Rausch
