Photo by Hagen Wolf Presse
The ninth iteration of Chor@Berlin returns with a range of vocal performances and workshops.
Held at Radialsystem, the four-day festival focussed on all things vocal opens on a silent note this year. Under the banner of The Sound of Silence, Chorwerk Ruhr and the Marc Schmolling Ensemble showcase pieces spanning from early baroque to contemporary music and improv jazz (Feb 21, 20:00). As part of the ongoing concert series Prinzip Ho nung, composer Frank Schwemmer set Inger Christensen’s Alfabet to music, a 1981 poem pondering the consequences of the hydrogen bomb’s invention (Feb 22, 20:00). Another eclectic concert evening is dedicated to a cappella: soul and funk ensemble Slixs performs its new programme Playgrounds, including a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes”; Berlin-based choir JazzVocals presents its repertoire; and Voktett Hannover stages spiritual pieces. Like every year, numerous workshops and lectures round off the vocal programme. If overtone or throat singing are on your 2019 bucket list, then Chor@Berlin has got you covered (Feb 23, 9:30). Presenting one of its latest performances, Vox populi?! Der Klang der Demokratie, vocal ensemble Auditiv Vokal Dresden analyses the effects of contemporary music on democratic developments. Choirs can learn how to navigate social media channels (Feb 24, 11:30), or how singing together can encourage integration processes (Feb 24, 13:30). Of course, there’s the annual participatory concert with the Ich-kann-nicht- singen-Chor (“I-can’t-sing choir”). Under the banner of Ohne Grenzen (Without borders), the Berlin-based Begegnungschor urges you to sing along to songs in various languages from German to Farsi – whether you hit the right note or not (Feb 24, 11:00).
Chor@Berlin Feb 21-24 Radialsystem V, Friedrichshain
