While modern and contemporary visual art has long found its place in diverse environments - including public spaces - contemporary music often remains confined to its self-imposed "ghetto": the concert hall. Bringing it into the streets ...See moreWhile modern and contemporary visual art has long found its place in diverse environments - including public spaces - contemporary music often remains confined to its self-imposed "ghetto": the concert hall. Bringing it into the streets still represents a risk - both for the musicians and for the audience. This challenge was taken on by the Munich Chamber Orchestra and its artistic director Alexander Liebreich with the Streetmusic Project. On October 12 and 13, 2007, the orchestra performed at various locations across Munich, Germany, presenting works by Erhan Sanri, Gideon Klein, Alfred Schnittke, Luciano Berio, John Adams, and Tom Johnson. The expressions on the faces of both the musicians and the passersby reflected a deep engagement with the music - an immediacy and participation often lacking in mainstream cultural contexts. Contemporary music here becomes a form of remembrance - bearing witness to the 20th century, to the Holocaust, and to the complexities of modernity. This film opens up contemporary music to a broader audience through a thoughtfully curated dramaturgy of compositions. It highlights the continued social and political relevance of cultural production. Written by
Michal Kosakowski
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