11 October 2021

The Donaueschingen Festival in Berlin

Omnibus Ensemble from Uzbekistan will give a guest performance at the Akademie der Künste with new works from China, Thailand, Bahrain and Turkey
Concert on 20 October 2021, Hanseatenweg

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Donaueschingen Festival, the Akademie der Künste invites Omnibus Ensemble, one of this year’s special projects by “Donaueschingen global”, to Berlin. At its concert on 20 October, the ensemble from Tashkent, Uzbekistan will present four new compositions, which will premiere a few days beforehand in Donaueschingen. The works by Onur Dülger (Turkey), Piyawat Louilarpprasert (Thailand), Hasan Hujairi (Bahrain) and Qin Yi (China) were created in a collective work process between the composers and the ensemble. From Buddhist rituals to Uzbek sounds to Thai composition methods, they combine various influences. The collaborative approach is typical of Omnibus Ensemble, the “new music laboratory of Central Asia”, directed by Artyom Kim, which integrates European and Uzbek instruments and whose core interest is in transcultural contemporary music.

With the guest concert from Donaueschingen, the Akademie der Künste is continuing its current focus on dialogic and diverse music projects introduced at the “Curating Diversity / What Does Freedom Sound Like” symposium and the “Memories in Music” festival in order to open up more global perspectives in contemporary music.

The special feature of the programme on 20 October is the close dialogue, which allows permeability for diverse cultural influences. With references to Maqam traditions from various regions of Central and West Asia and North Africa, the work by Hasan Hujairi opens up a transcultural space. Piyawat Louilarpprasert combines the sound qualities of Buddhist rituals, such as singing and reciting mantras, with elements of Thai and Uzbek music to create an “omni” diversity. Qin Yi explores the cultural convergence and symbiotic relationship between different cultures in her composition. Lastly, Onur Dülger combines sound material from a shared Turkish heritage, foreign influences such as Islam and experimental sound landscapes in dialogue with the musicians.

Before the concert, Björn Gottstein (director of the Donaueschingen Festival), Daniel Ott (composer and member of the Music Section of the Akademie der Künste), Artyom Kim (director of Omnibus Ensemble) and Piyawat Louilarpprasert (composer) will discuss the particularities of collective compositional practices in transcultural contexts.

“Donaueschingen global” is a project by the Donaueschingen Festival, funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the SWR television station. The cooperation partners are the Akademie der Künste, Schloss Solitude, Ultima Festival Oslo and the Goethe-Institut.

Programme
7 pm: Discussion
Björn Gottstein (director of the Donaueschingen Festival), Daniel Ott (composer and Section member), Artyom Kim (director of Omnibus Ensemble), Piyawat Louilarpprasert (composer) Host: Julia Gerlach (secretary of the Music Section)

8 pm: Concert
Hasan Hujairi: Retreat Strategies, for ensemble (2021, 15 min.)
Piyawat Louilarpprasert: Ohm-Na-Mo (โอม นะโม), for ensemble (2021, 18 min.)
Qin Yi: Silk, for ensemble (2021, 12 min.)
Onur Dülger: Baiterek-Kut, for ensemble (2021, 10 min.)

Omnibus Ensemble
Sukhrob Nazimov, oboe; Ravshan Tukhtamishev, chang; Jakhongir Shukur, sato;
Alibek Kabdurkhmanov, percussion; Sanjar Nafikov, keyboard instruments, sound director; Lemara Ablyatifova, violin; Alirna Korieva, violin; Olga Kolyujina, viola; Jamshid Ubaydullaev, violoncello; N.N., flute. Director: Artyom Kim

Event Information
The Donaueschingen Festival at the Akademie der Künste
Omnibus Ensemble Concert
Wednesday, 20 October 2021, 7 pm discussion, 8 pm concert
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, 10557 Berlin
Admission €13/7
Ticket reservation: +49 (0)30 200 57-2000; ticket@adk.de 
Online tickets: www.adk.de/tickets 

Press contact: Reservations at presse@adk.de or Tel. +49 (0)30 200 57-1514