Review and Preview

The curatorial sextet responsible for programming the internationally renowned Amsterdam Sonic Acts Festival  (www.sonicacts.com) presented the first edition of KONTRASTE under the motto IMAGINARY LANDSCAPES with cutting-edge sonic experiments, contemporary music and related art forms in thematic, historical and interdisciplinary contexts.

The comprehensive festival programme explored a wide variety of fields and practices and offered unique encounters with extraordinary and unconventional concerts, performances, installations, lectures screenings, exhibitions, a symposium, a soundwalk and a soundtour that invited to a journey through imaginary landscapes.

Several projects in public space supported by Wachau Weltkulturerbe attracted many visitors from abroad as well as people from the region.

Kontraste 2012 will take place from October 11 – 14.

You can watch great pics of Kontraste in our BLOG.

The first Kontraste Cahier

We are proud to present the first Kontraste Cahier (a series of publications of the festival) “The Aelectrosonic” by Douglas Kahn.

You can download the Cahier HERE. You can order a printed version HERE.

Program brochure

We have added the program brochure with detailed information about the projects of Kontraste 2011 in german and english to our Festival section. The first revamped edition will take place from 14-16 October in Krems in Austria, an hour’s drive from Vienna. This edition of the festival explores a wide range of imaginary landscapes created by composers, filmmakers, musicians and artists.
 
Click here to see a interactive version of the program brochure
 
 

Kontraste 2011 – Imaginary Landscapes

Imaginary Landscapes is obviously a reference to the groundbreaking compositions by John Cage. His Imaginary Landscape #4 is probably the first composition to exclusively use pre-recorded and electronic sounds. In fact, Imaginary Landscapes presented itself simply as the best term to cover the different works and ideas that we hoped to bring together in this festival: The Acousmonium as an utopia of sound and a way of listening to spatial music, and the stunning compositions of the pioneers of electronic music which often are landscapes to listen to. New works by artists who explore spatial characteristics of sound and light; films which expand on the language of abstract cinema, creating landscapes in which sound and vision are one; and immersive environments from fog and sound waves. The metaphor of a landscape is alluring, and is often used in reference to such works. All such works aim at a direct effect on the senses. It is art which has to be experienced, which challenges the senses and sharpens them, often using minimal material to attain a maximum impact. We hope you enjoy the trip through these Imaginary Landscapes.