Culture

"Neuland” – new ground: creating spaces for musical experiments

How do we want to experience music? From which new and different angles can we rediscover a work? How can the space and community in which we listen to music become part of the performance? The "Neuland" series explores these questions and, in collaboration with musicians, presents experimental concerts for the senses.

Ein Orchester musiziert auf der Bühne, das Publikum hält Handys mit leuchtendem Display in die Höhe, im Hintergrund ist ein Bildschirm mit Handysymbol

Europe

Germany

Dortmund

Funding period: 2014, 2024-2027

Ein Musiker sitzt an einem Klavier, umgeben von Zuschauenden — On 20.09.2024, the orchestra in the stairwell experimented with well-known concert rituals as part of its KULT programme. Photo: Konzerthaus Dortmund GmbH, Credit: Sabrina Richmann

Each concert is different, each concert is unique. Because music is created live and in a particular moment. The "Neuland" series asks questions about new perspectives on works of music and, together with musicians and ensembles that are keen to experiment, presents concert for the senses, matching the atmosphere and character of the programme. This gives musicians the opportunity to experiment, combine music with visual, medial or performative elements and present the results on the stage of the Konzerthaus Dortmund. The idea is to get such productions out of their niche and make them accessible to a wider audience. Another aim is for these concerts to also reach younger people interested in media.

Musiker und Musikerinnen sowie das Publikum kommen auf der Bühne ins Gespräch, im Hintergrund ist ein Bildschirm mit einem Sitz-Symbol — With the help of pictograms, the audience was actively involved in the concert and was even allowed to join the orchestra on stage. Photo: Konzerthaus Dortmund GmbH, Credit: Sabrina Richmann

Musiker eines Orchesters sind auf einer Bühne, der Dirigent spricht durch ein Megafon zum Publikum — The "Orchester im Treppenhaus" communicated very directly with the audience – sometimes with a megaphone. Photo: Konzerthaus Dortmund GmbH, Credit: Sabrina Richmann

The concert “Xtended” in the 2024/25 season, for instance, invites the audience to take a look behind the scenes of an orchestra. This is a marathon of several hours that combines live music in the concert hall with virtual and interactive elements in between stage performances. The events lasts an entire evening and starts with a pacey, entertaining piece of music that explores the likes and dislikes of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Afterwards, the audience can visit different “sites” in the Konzerthaus building that feature VR installations of the orchestra, participate in digital surveys and actively influence the subsequent concert using their mobile phones and other devices.

Photo Header: Konzerthaus Dortmund GmbH

Our funding partner

The Konzerthaus Dortmund GmbH opened its doors in September 2002 and since 2012 has belonged to the prestigious European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), together with the leading concert halls of London, Paris, Barcelona, Budapest and Vienna. It is one of only four German venues to have achieved this honour, along with Baden-Baden, Cologne and Hamburg. In the 2018/2019 season, Dr Raphael von Hoensbroech took over as artistic director and managing director of the Konzerthaus Dortmund, succeeding Ulrich Andreas Vogt and Benedikt Stampa.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs`?