Instant Music Bremen

6.-8.11.2026 St.Petri Dom and Schwankhalle Bremen

The 23rd Biennale for Contemporary Music focuses on the music of the immediate moment: “!Instant Music!” In both its expression and its outcome, improvisation serves as a snapshot of a specific artistic and social situation. The very presence of the musicians creates a “now” that is unrepeatable, yet profoundly meaningful.

Me playing on the 6th at St.Petri Dom with:
Reika Hattori Augmented Toy Piano.
Felix Martl Bassclarinet.
Mahtab Miandehi Violine.

For the 2026 festival, the projektgruppe neue musik e.V. (pgnm) will collaborate with international figures from the world of improvised music—including the Styrian Improvisation Orchestra from Graz. Eighteen musicians from the Austrian state of Styria will travel to Bremen to engage in improvisation alongside local musicians. Through this initiative, the pgnm continues its “Alpenglow 10 – Styria meets Bremen” cultural exchange, organized in partnership with the Styrian Association for New and Improvised Music. The festival also explores other facets of music—both past and present—that incorporate improvisation as an essential element, whether during the creative process or within the performance itself. Reflective lectures and panel discussions featuring the invited artists, composers, and performers will complement the concert program, situating these works within their broader—including socio-political—contexts.