Post-Beethoven Fest in Berlin and on-line: Beethoven, new music, Kraftwerk, Boards of Canada and more

Stargaze (Photo Maarit Kytoeharju)

Beethoven 250 was a somewhat quieter celebration that many ensembles intended and to remedy this, Beethoven 251 has become a cause to celebrate both Beethoven and live music. In Berlin, Andre de Ridder and his Stargaze ensemble are presenting a weekender at the Volksbühne in Berlin on 10 and 11 June 2021, which will be live-streamed.

The focus of the event is Beethoven and his legacy today. There will be premieres of music by Sarah Nemtsov, Nicole Lizée, Matthew Herbert and Aart Strootman based on music and ideas from Beethoven's symphonies alongside works by Stockhausen and Friedrich Nietzsche. Performers include Stargaze alongside Holger Hiller (from Palais Schaumburg), Boards of Canada and Kraftwerk, plus dancers Latisha Sparks, Zen Jefferson and Miriam Arnold, and Hamburg new-wave band 1000 Robota. Stargaze will perform their project based on Boards of Canada’s album Hi Scores for the first time in Germany, following their huge success at Edinburgh International Festival in 2019, featuring The Notwist’s Andi Haberl on drums. 

No, I don't know who half these names are either, but that is the event's appeal the mix of old and new, contemporary and traditional.

Further information from the festival website.