New and Newest Music Festival returns Arter

ISTANBUL

Introduced by Arter to the music scene of Istanbul in 2020 under the artistic direction of German music curator Matthias Osterwold and organized in digital format for the two subsequent years, New and Newest Music Festival returns to Arter’s performance halls with its fourth edition, starting today until May 13.

Bringing together prominent musicians and composers of new music will kick off with the Turkish premieres of Piano Mechanics (1981),

Theremin Radio Interference (2009), Sauerkraut Synthesizer (2010), and Boiling Water (2016) to be performed by Canadian composer Gordon Monahan today.

Following this series of performances, electronic music artist and sound designer Korhan Erel will take the stage with a special performance, featuring his composition and improvisations.

The second day of the festival will start with a performance bringing together Gordon Monahan with Çıplak Ayaklar Kumpanyası performers Leyla Postalcıoğlu, Metehan Kayhan and Melih Kıraç for Speaker Swinging (1982), an experimental performance where the sound is formed and reformed through body movements.

The last event of the day will present percussionists Amy Salsgiver, Kerem Öktem, Emre Günay, Ali Can Öztan, Onur Başkurt, Danae Palaka from sa.ne.na.

On May 12, the festival will feature a comprehensive conversation moderated by Ali Pınar on the musical production and life of composer, painter, poet and writer Ertuğrul Oğuz Fırat (1923–2014).

Held in honor of Fırat’s centennial birthday, the conversation will be followed by a holistic performance featuring
the artist’s both visual and auditory works.

Later, vocalist Saadet Türköz and percussionist Peter Conradin Zumthor will share with the audience the liberating journey of improvisational music through their performance titled Journey of Dreaming Songs.

The New and Newest Music Festival will end on May 13 with a concert by Dominik Blum, Marino Pliakas and Lucas Niggli from Steamboat Switzerland, testing the intersections between avant-garde music and improvisational rock at Arter’s Karbon.