neuMERZ is a new music and media studio run by composers and multi-media artists Philipp Henkel, Rachel C. Walker and Emanuele Grossi. Together, we take a critical, research-approach to composition and apply it to various projects: curating installations, multimedia concerts, and film, paying special attention to presenting innovative formats and perspectives on the contemporary arts scene.

Our project draws on our combined strengths: acoustic and electroacoustic composition, visual rendering (Blender, C#, C++), instrument design and experimentation, historical research, and programming. Bringing these skill sets into direct dialogue with one another leads to artistic results with both theoretical and experimental gains.

neuMERZ has realized projects in collaboration with Musik21 Niedersachsen (Disrupted Chronologies – Jahresthema 2022 Radikale), the Deutscher Musikrat (Radiant8 Ensemble), Stiftung-Niedersachsen (Panopticon), Musikland Niedersachsen, Musikfonds (PRO DEFUNCTIS) and others. Recent projects include the 2022 concert season and tour of the Radiant8 Ensemble; Disrupted Chronologies, a multimedia concert and documentary project; and KOPFGERÄUSCHE, a concert tour of new works with a performance by the Berlin Japanese noise-improv duo Momose/Ishikawa. In 2023, neuMERZ presented the Dialogue-Concert „al’thalj“ at the Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart in collaboration with the Austrian ensemble airborne extended.

In 2024, neuMERZ presented PRO DEFUNCTIS, bringing American ensemble Ekmeles to Germany to tour Spahlinger's Über den frühen Tod des Fräuleins Anna Augusta Markgräfin zu Baden in honor of Spahlinger's 80th birthday year. The concerts include a radio broadcast on the SWR in Stuttgart, in addition to further performances in Köln and Freiburg. Additionally in 2024, neuMERZ was in residency at Lisboa Incomum / Projecto DME within the frame of a mobility grant from Culture Moves Europe.

A continued focus is now placed on the development of several ongoing curation projects: a long-term interdisciplinary collaboration spanning music, literature and film, connected to the life of the 20th century Taiwanese travel writer San Mao; the multi-media series Terrain Vagues / Blühende Landschaften; the ongoing portrait format IN FOKUS and the first season a new concert series entitled THE WOMB .

Upcoming

THE WOMB

The quest to the birth of sound begins, we are all asked to chose our own, nurture and take care of it till it’s born and able to walk its way in the world…

neuMERZ and Atelier Anthrazit presents a series of events aimed at bridging the gap between emerging and established artists. By inviting artists with collective experiences and unconventional practices, we aim to showcase broader possibilities for the future of music. At the same time, we provide the artistic community in Hannover with insights on developing independent and sustainable art music events and scenes. With The Womb we offer alternatives to the academic and commercial realms, without sacrificing creativity, originality and bravery in experimentation.

Concert Line Up of Season #1:

19.04.2025 | Yoga & Emanuele Grossi

09.05.2025 | Mizuki Ishikawa & Andy Cowling

24.05.2025 | Tam Thi Pham & Thomas Pfaffinger

07.06.2025 | Schoco Mune & Thanos Sakallaridis

14.06.2025 | Jacopo Greco d'Alceo & Philipp Henkel

Book your tickets here:

Recent Presentations

OFF_GRID

On April 17th and 18th, neuMERZ presents Philipp Henkel’s large-scale multimedia work GRID, Chi Him Chik's new audiovisual set 不明體_實 |unknown(0) and Jiawen Wang's award nominated multimedia opus Abyssial Mimesis @monopolberlin and at Die Rampe, Hannover

Entree at 19:30, make sure to not miss this!
About the artists:

Philipp Henkel’s work focuses on the theme of data collection, especially in relation to surveillance systems and the application of racial profiling within these systems. The work GRID is a multimedia piece (video and electronics) that concentrates on how material in a fixed-format medium can push against its own boundaries. The resulting force fields can be visually and sonically experienced in the form of noise and glitches.

Transdisciplinary media artist & performer Chi Him Chik draws inspirations from reflections on conflicts, dilemma, and pain from personal experiences as well as social and political events, including movements in his hometown Hong Kong and the ongoing threats and concerns on human rights and freedom from China, while creating works through the combination of media, from audio to visuals, generative to compositional, fixed media to interactive art, in, but not limited to, a performative sense.

Jiawen Wang's artistic practice explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, media culture, and the digital subconscious—manifested through multisensory audiovisual art. Using generative systems, she creates immersive environments where algorithmic processes become dynamic agents, questioning perception, the hidden layers of technology, and the boundaries of the "real."

Terrain Vagues / Blühende Landschaften

2024 - 2025

Selection of related dates and presentations:

11.2024 | neuMERZ residency at Projecto DME + Lisboa Incomum, supported by Culture Moves Europe

11.2024 | Research presentation on Terrain Vagues / Blühende Landschaften at the Culture and Sustainability Symposium 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal

TERRAIN VAGUES
/
Blühende Landschaften

How can one build meaningful connections when faced with apathy and stagnation? Are there still utopian principles within the 'real world' that can guide humanity, despite the fact that most utopian ideas have failed and the very idea of utopia itself has become something to be ridiculed?

Terrain Vagues / Blühende Landschaften tackles these questions and gives perspectives mediated by artistic expression. In looking at locales from previous World Expositions, this project and its presentations span multiple cities as well as virtual spaces.

This project will presented in two stages across 2024 and 2025.

PRO DEFUNCTIS

2024 marks the 80th birthday year of the German composer Matthias Spahlinger. To celebrate, neuMERZ is resurrecting Spahlinger's masterwork Über den frühen Tod des Fräuleins Anna Augusta Markgräfin zu Baden for the first performances of the piece in Europe since the its premiere some thirty years ago. PRO DEFUNCTIS presents the American vocal ensemble Ekmeles with Ensemble Aventure and the composers slide quartet to tour Über den frühen Tod... alongside connected works from Johannes Ockeghem and the young Greek composer Petros Leivadas.

Selection of related dates and presentations:

08.11.2024 | Kunststation Sankt-Peter Köln

09.11.2024 | Hospitalkirche Stuttgart

10.11.2024 | Friedenskirche Freiburg

Find more infos here

IN FOKUS

As we traverse the creative landscape, we encounter remarkable talents who infuse their work with passion, vision, and unique perspectives. In each monthly installment, we unveil a new portrait: an artist whose brushstrokes, melodies, or words resonate with authenticity.

This month, our spotlight falls on our Philipp Henkel.
In this special version of IN FOKUS, Henkel will present his newly premiered piece from the GAIDA Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania in form of a lecture performance at Rampe in Hannover, Germany.

Selection of related dates and presentations:

26.10.2024 | GAIDA Festival, Vilnius/Lithuania

29.10.2024 | RAMPE, Hannover supported by Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur

GONE WITH THE RAINY SEASON

San Mao is an artistic research and film project focusing on the work of the 20th century travel writer San Mao.

Along with the writer and interdisciplinary artist Autumn Tsai and visual artist and film director Mooni Perry, we are using environmental storytelling to retrace the physical geographies of San Mao's travels while exploring aspects of her work through fantasy, video games, and sound art.

Selection of related dates and presentations:

21.06.2024 | Monopol Berlin

25.06.2024 | Kunststation Sankt-Peter Köln

GONE WITH THE RAINY SEASON
INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTISTIC RESEARCH AND FILM PROJECT

2022 - 2025

CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CREATION

MAKING THINGS POSSIBLE

In addition to our own curatorial work, neuMERZ assists other actors across the free arts scene in organizing projects and creating new concert programs. By drawing upon our diverse experiences in management, design and multimedia arts, we help to connect the strands to bring projects to reality.

What we do

Artistic Curation
Project Conceptualization and Coordination
Technical Realization of Multimedia Projects
Visual and Intermedia Design Services

Management of Live Electronics (Klangregie)

Video and Audio Documentation

PROJECT REALIZATIONS

PARTNERS

Past concerts and productions have included concerts and presentations at WERKRAUM Göttingen, Galerie BOHAI, TAK Berlin, Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart, Heimathafen Neukölln, Akademie Schloss Solitude, OSCO, et al.

neuMERZ has simultaneously collaborated with various ensembles across the contemporary music scene: Ensemble Radiant8, airborne extended, Momose/Ishikawa, Trio Klangspektrum, Ensemble Quarks, Ensemble Ascolta, et al.