Musik zwischen Engagement und Autonomie

At MaerzMusik, we are continuing a discussion that was already addressed at this year’s Ultraschall Festival. There, composers Lucia Ronchetti, Iris ter Schiphorst, and Márton Illés debated the question of where musicians position themselves today in the tension between artistic autonomy and social-political engagement - an issue that is gaining renewed importance in light of the increasing instrumentalisation of art.

In recent years, we have witnessed a strong politicisation of music, with artists grappling in their work with issues such as war, the climate crisis, and the rise of right-wing populism. Now, however, a number of artists seem to be shifting their focus back to the purely aesthetic. But is this an act of escapism, or rather a form of resistance against the growing pressure for justification and the (hyper-)instrumentalisation of art - pressures that have become particularly evident in the debates surrounding drastic cuts to cultural funding?

The question of the delicate relationship between music and politics has a long tradition. Is the pendulum now swinging back, or are there perhaps productive positions in between?

We invite you to an open discussion on the role of music in society and the challenges this poses for composers, performers, and curators alike.

With: Wojtek Blecharz, Nguyễn + Transitory and Mark Barden
Moderation: Marcus Gammel