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Incense of Music 55 - Rondo Projects Edition Berlin No. 2
Incense of Music Nr. 55
A multisensory concert – Friday, 24th May 2024, 8 pm.
PANDA Platforma in der Kulturbrauerei,
Knaackstr. 97, 10435 Berlin
In its 55th concert Incense of Music is presenting a musical project by Iranian musicians and their international collaborators. “Rondo Projects takes its name as a testament to a series of collaborative musical endeavors initiated by Ehsan Sadigh, an accomplished composer and guitarist, and Mazyar Younesi, a versatile composer and pianist. Together with the multifaceted percussionist Roshanak Rafani, they embarked on their musical journey in October 2023 in Berlin. Fostering a culture of continuous evolution, each edition of Rondo Projects sees the trio collaborating with diverse musicians and instrumentalists. The inaugural edition featured collaborations with Niki Yaghmaee, a skilled viola player, and Golsana Shenasaei, an adept cello player. In their upcoming Edition Berlin No. 2, the band will meet Ruben Staub, an aspiring Clarinet and Bass Clarinet payer. The music of Rondo Projects is the reflection of the lived musical experience of its members. The group places a significant emphasis on improvisation within the process of composition and on the stage, providing a platform for the musicians to stretch their creativity and explore new dimensions.”
Piano, Voice: Mazyar Younesi
Percussion: Roshanak Rafani
Viola: Niki Yaghmaee
Clarinet, Bass Clarinet: Ruben Staub
Mastic, also known as mastiha or mastix, is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). It has been used for various purposes throughout history, including as a chewing gum, a flavoring agent in cooking, and notably as an incense. When used as incense, mastic resin emits a sweet, woody fragrance with subtle hints of pine and citrus. This aroma is often described as refreshing and uplifting, making it popular for use in religious ceremonies, meditation practices, and aromatherapy. In addition to its pleasant scent, mastic incense is believed to have various therapeutic properties. It has been traditionally used to promote relaxation, alleviate stress, and enhance focus and concentration. Some cultures also associate mastic incense with purification and spiritual cleansing rituals.
Galbanum is a resin obtained from the Ferula galbaniflua plant, native to the Middle East and regions around the Mediterranean. It has been used for centuries as incense due to its distinctive aroma and therapeutic properties. When burned as incense, galbanum emits a complex, green, and earthy fragrance with hints of balsamic sweetness. In ancient times, it was prized for its purported healing properties and was believed to have purifying and balancing effects on the mind and body. Overall, galbanum incense offers a rich and complex fragrance that can enhance various rituals and therapeutic experiences, providing a connection to nature and a sense of tranquility and well-being.
Ehsan Sadigh, 1980, Iran An accomplished Montreal-based artist specializing in guitar and composition, Ehsan Sadigh is a well-established composer, renowned for his contributions to film scores and ensemble performances. With numerous accolades for his musical scores both in Iran and abroad, Ehsan is the founder and leader of the Quartet Diminished, a contemporary jazz band with three albums published by Hermes Records. Collaborating with esteemed musicians like Colin Bass, Tony Levin, and Markus Reuter, their upcoming album, set for release by MoonJune Records in 2024, attests to Ehsan's continuous commitment to musical excellence. As an individual composer and performer, he has collaborated on various albums, including "AX" published by Discordian Records, where he worked alongside Vasco Trilla, a Spanish drummer, and the Barcelona-based saxophonist Liba Villavecchia.
Mazyar Younesi, 1983, Iran A Tehran-based versatile musician engaged in various musical activities, including composition, conducting, piano performance, and countertenor singing. He is a successful composer recognized for his involvement in orchestral and ensemble projects, as well as for his contributions to film and animation scores, which have garnered him several awards. Mazyar possesses a background in Iranian music, demonstrating proficiency with instruments such as Tombak and Setar. Additionally, his academic knowledge spans piano performance and composition. Since 2016, he has held the role of music director and conductor for the Austro-Iranian Symphony Orchestra (AISO). In the realm of contemporary jazz music, Mazyar serves as the composer and pianist for the Quartet Diminished. He has been showcased at the Show of Hands Festival in Iran and Turkey for the years 2017, 2018, and 2023.
Roshanak Rafani, 1994, Iran A multi-dimensional Berlin-based percussionist, Roshanak Rafani's diverse background in both Iranian and Classical music has enabled her to transcend conventional genre boundaries, nurturing her artistic curiosity. Specializing in instruments such as Daf and 2 Tombak, she has showcased her talents internationally, performing solo and as part of ensembles like the Mahbanoo Ensemble. A graduate of percussion performance from the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin, Roshanak boasts extensive experience performing with esteemed orchestras such as the Austro-Iranian Symphony Orchestra (AISO), Junge Philharmonie Berlin, Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin (DKO), and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. In the contemporary music sphere, Roshanak has collaborated with various musicians and ensembles, including the Pierre Boulez Ensemble, Lugano Percussion Ensemble, and Cymin Samawatie.
Incense of Music Nr. 54/ Hayden Chisholm Quartet
Incense of Music Nr. 54
A multisensorial concert- Friday, 17th May 2024, 8 p.m.
PANDA Platforma in der Kulturbrauerei,
Knaackstr. 97, 10435 Berlin
Hayden Chisholm, a masterful saxophonist and composer, brings a unique blend of influences to his music, transcending traditional boundaries to create an immersive sonic experience. Drawing inspiration from jazz, classical, folk, and world music traditions, Chisholm's compositions are marked by their depth, emotional resonance, and exquisite craftsmanship. As the protagonist of the 54th concert of the "Incense of Music" series, Chisholm and his quartet promise an evening of musical enchantment like no other. Picture yourself enveloped in a tapestry of rich harmonies, intricate melodies, and soul-stirring rhythms, all woven together with Chisholm's signature style and virtuosity. But the experience doesn't stop there. Just as music has the power to transport us to different realms, so too does scent. Imagine the air infused with fragrances carefully chosen to complement the music, enhancing every note and chord with an extra layer of sensory delight. From the earthy warmth of myrrh to the sweet freshness of rosebay, each scent harmonizes with the music to create a truly multisensory experience. So come, let yourself be carried away on a journey of sound and scent, as Hayden Chisholm and his quartet lead you through an evening of great sounds and beautiful fragrances. It's a concert you won't want to miss, a celebration of music and sensory wonder that will leave you spellbound long after the final note has faded away. For guests who are particularly sensitive to smoke,this event is not recommended.
Myrrh is a resin derived from the Commiphora myrrha tree, native to regions of Africa and the Middle East. It has been used for thousands of years as incense, prized for its rich fragrance and various therapeutic properties. When burned as incense, myrrh releases a complex aroma that is both earthy and slightly sweet, with resinous undertones. The scent is often described as warm, spicy, and balsamic, with hints of wood and citrus. Myrrh incense has a long history of use in religious and spiritual ceremonies, as well as in traditional medicine and aromatherapy. In religious rituals, myrrh incense is often associated with purification, prayer, and meditation. It is believed to have a grounding and calming effect on the mind and spirit, helping to create a sacred atmosphere for worship and contemplation. Overall, myrrh incense offers a deep and complex fragrance that can evoke a sense of reverence, tranquility, and connection to the divine. Its rich history and therapeutic benefits make it a popular choice for use in various rituals and spiritual practices.
Rosebay, also known as rhododendron, is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Rhododendron. When burned as incense, rosebay emits a subtle yet enchanting fragrance that is floral, sweet, and slightly spicy. The aroma is reminiscent of fresh blossoms in a garden, with delicate undertones that evoke a sense of tranquility and beauty. In some cultural traditions, rosebay incense may be used for ceremonial purposes, such as in rituals celebrating the beauty of nature or invoking feelings of love and affection. Its aromatic properties may also be associated with purification and spiritual renewal, creating an atmosphere of purity and reverence. While rosebay may not be as commonly used as other types of incense, its unique fragrance and potential symbolic significance make it a captivating choice for those seeking to incorporate the beauty of nature into their spiritual practices.
Incense of Music Nr. 53 - Nebbia, Parkins
Incense of Music Nr. 53
A multisensorial concert- Friday, 9th February 2023, 8 p.m.
Incense of Music is back with a highly experimental concert by a trio with Camila Nebbia, Andrea Parkins and a surprise guest.
Camila Nebbia: tenor saxophone
Knaackstr. 97, 10435 Berlin
Andrea Parkins
Born: Pittsburgh, USA Lives: Berlin www.andreaparkins.com
Andrea Parkins is an electroacoustic musician, composer, and sound artist who engages with interactive electronics as compositional/performative process. Working with an array of sonic materials – electronically processed accordion, custom-built software, amplified objects, and electronic feedback – her performances and installations explore connections and slippages between the body, materiality, sound, site, and space.
Parkins’ projects include multi-channel sound performances and intermedia installations, electroacoustic solo and ensemble compositions; and sound for contemporary dance, experimental film and intermedia performance. She performs as a solo artist, and has collaborated with artists such as Ute Wassermann, Magda Mayas, George E. Lewis, Nels Cline, The Necks, choreographer Vera Mantero, and filmmaker Abigail Child, among others. Her performances and installations have been presented at venues such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, Café Oto, The Kitchen, Experimental Intermedia (NYC), Kunsthalle Basel, and Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Strasbourg. Festival appearances have included NEXT/Bratislava, Cyberfest/St. Petersburg, All Ears/Oslo, Jazz im Augusto/Lisbon, Music Unlimited/Wels, and many more.
Parkins’ recent projects include The Stray II, a site-responsive 8-channel spatial audio and visual installation that was featured at Momentum 12/The Nordic Biennale at Galleri F15 in Moss, Norway; her intermedia installation, Sonic Spaces for the Stray, presented in 2021 at ROM for kunst og arkitektur in Oslo; and her performance/installation, Two Rooms, Variation 1, for 40 loudspeakers and Solo Performer, premiered in 2016 at Akousma Festival in Montreal.
Andrea Parkins has been an invited resident artist at Rauschenberg Residency in Captiva, Florida; Elektronmusikstudion (EMS), Stockholm; Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center (NYC); and by Frei und Hanseastadt Hamburg Kulturbehoerde. Her recordings are published by Important Records, Infrequent Seams, Confront Recordings, Atavistic, Henceforth Records and Creative Sources; and she can be heard as a contributor on numerous other labels. In 2022-2023, she is a fellow of the Berliner Förderprogramm Künstlerische Forschung / Berlin Artistic Research Grant Programme.
Recent Press:
“Sounding Objects: Andrea Parkins Interviewed by Lea Bertucci: Expanding Notions of Composition” Bomb Magazine (6 May 2022). https://bombmagazine.org/articles/andrea- parkins-interviewed/
“11+3 Interview with Andrea Parkins.” Digital in Berlin (August 2020,) https://www.digitalinberlin.de/andrea-parkins
Camila Nebbia
Camila Nebbia is a saxophone player, composer, improviser, visual artist, curator and educator debasing hierarchical systems by exploring counterpoints of migrational longing through multiple, but minimally separated, mediums. From Buenos Aires, Argentina, based in Berlin, Germany, the multidisciplinary artist layers her practice through the creation and destruction of archival memory.
Has released as a band leader and solo performer “A veces la luz de lo que existe resplandece solamente a la distancia” (Kuai 2017), “De este lado” (Club del disco 2019), Aura (ears&eyes records 2020),“Corre el río de la memoria” (ramble records 2021) and “Presencias” (Sound Holes 2021) “Una ofrenda a la ausencia” (Relative Pitch Records 2023).
Played and recorded with many artists of the international scene such as Valentin Garvie, El devenir del río, Burka, Paula Shocron, Barbara Togander, Patrick Shiroishi, Paul Pignon, Vinnie Sperrazza, Katt Hernandez, Kenneth Jimenez, Lesley Mok, Violeta García, Axel Filip, Susana Santos Silva, Tom Rainey, Elsa Bergman, l’ Arfi collective of Lyon, Joanna Mattrey, Micheal Formaneck, Vincent Dromowski’s Flow regulator, Sofia Borges, John Hughes, among others.
Co-creator and curator of the collective interdisciplinary group and improvised music series “La Jaula se ha vuelto pájaro y se ha volado”, the interdisciplinary festival “Guillotina Fest'' and creator and curator of the streaming concert series called “The warmth of proximity” and “A door in the mountain”. Runs the concert series and independent label “Disfigured Rivers” based in Berlin.
Participated of many festivals around the world such as Winter Jazz Fest NYC co-presented with M3 (U.S), Buenos Aires Jazz Festival (ARG), Lima Jazz Festival (PE), Diskurs Festival (DE), Ultima Oslo (NO), Saalfelden Jazz Festival (AT), among others, and has assisted to several residencies such as, ART OMI (NYC), SIM (NYC) Jazz & Creative Music dictated by Tyshawn Sorey and Vijay Iyer (CA), Konvent Zero (ES) UNCOOL (CH), Ensemble Evolution (US), CirkusVranen (SE), CCK with Tim Berne, Marilyn Crispell & Ben Goldberg (AR), among others.
Studied classical saxophone at the Conservatory "Astor Piazzolla", jazz at the "Manuel de Falla" Conservatory, Film Direction at the Universidad Del Cine, and the master degree program “CoPeCo Contemporary Performance and Composition at Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Estonia, Royal College of Music in Stockholm in Sweden, National Superior Conservatory of Music Dance of Lyon in France and Hamburg University of Music and Theatre in Germany. Was part of the second cohort of Mutual Mentorship for Musicians M3 created by Jen Shyu & Sara Serpa 2021, and was a curatorial fellow at the Experimental Sound Studio of Chicago 2022. Camila Nebbia is endorsed by D’Addario Woodwinds.
Incense of Music 29 - Shahhosseini, Flaig
Ein multisensorisches Konzert- Dienstag 16. Oktober 2018, 19:30 Uhr
Yasamin Shahhosseini: Oud; Sebastian Flaig: Perkussionen – Fabio Dondero und Dominik Breider (Incense burning): Grapefruit und Galbanum -LouLou – Begegnungsort für alte und neue Nachbar*innen, Lübecker Str. 21 , 10559 Berlin-MoabitRead more
Incense of Music 28 - Mazterfly
A multisensorial concert – Sunday, 14th October 2018 , 9 p.m.
Mazterfly: electro acoustic music; Berni Ramon: electronics, Tim Brosig: sax, special guest: Chris Whitley – Fabio Dondero and Dominik Breider (Incense burning): Damiana and Abelmoschus . ausland, Lychenerstrasse 60, 10437 BerlinRead more
About other animals
The percentage of the dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is actually 40 times larger than that of a human!
Incense of Music 27 - Dahlgren, Bontranger
A multisensorial concert - Friday, 22nd June 2018 , 7 p.m.
Chris Dahlgren: viola da gamba; Nathan Bontranger: viola da gamba – Fabio Dondero und Dominik Breider (Incense burning): Dammar and Acorus calamus.
Salon Dreiklang, Paul-Robeson-Strasse 47, 10439 BerlinRead more
Incense of Music 26 - Chisholm, Despotakis, Lubbe
A multisensorial concert- Thursday, 31st May 2018, 7 p.m.
Hayden Chisholm : Saxophon, Obertongesang; Yannis Despotakis: Perkussionen, Obertongesang; Gareth Lubbe: Klavier, Viola, Obertongesang - Fabio Dondero und Dominik Breider (Incense burning): Palo Santo und Galbanum
Salon Dreiklang, Paul-Robeson-Strasse 47, 10439 BerlinRead more
Incense of Music 25 - Bellanova, Flaig
Ein multisensorisches Konzert – 21. April 2018, 19 Uhr – Valentina Bellanova: ney, recorders; Sebastian Flaig: percussions – Fabio Dondero und Dominik Breider (Incense burning): Weihrauch und Labdanum . Salon Dreiklang, Paul Robeson Strasse 47 , 10439 Berlin