The “Show of Hands Festival”, which will take place at Arter on April 12-15, 2023, is the music event I’ve been most excited about for a long time. The theme of the festival, which is “solo improvisation”, that is, a single instrument, was held in Iran in 2017. In the festival that took place with the theme of “solo piano” that year; Benedikt Jahnel, ColinVallon, David Six, François Couturier, Marcin Wasilewski, Mazyar Younesi, Nik Bärtsch, Peyman Yazdanian, Stefano Battaglia, Tord Gustavsen, Wolfert Brederode. Younesi, Nik Bärtsch, Peyman Yazdanian, Stefano Battaglia, Tord Gustavsen, Wolfert Brederode took part. In its second year 2018, with the theme of “solo pluck and strings”, Golfam Khayam, Zsófia Boros, Hesam Inanlou, Ulaş Özdemir, Anja Lechner, Ali Boustan, Ferenc Snétberger, Björn Meyer, Renaud Garcia Fons, Mats Eilertsen and Tony Overwater were guests. they did. Performing artists Markus Stockhausen, Andres Hagberg, Yuri Honing, Klaus Gesing, Adam Pieronczyk, Hakon Kornstad, David Prez, Sha, Simon Wyrsch, Soheil Peyahambari, Francesco Cafiso and Mona Matbou Riani under the title of “solo woodwind” in its 3rd year in 2019 between. After the intervening pandemic, the festival was moved to Istanbul this year and Arter was chosen as the venue, which is a very exciting venue for such an event.
This year, there is a program with different instruments, not always the same instrument, but with “solo improvisation” at the center. There is an incredibly inspiring cast including Anja Lechner, Klaus Gesing, Björn Meyer, Tamer Temel, Nik Bärtsch, Wolfert Brederode, Mazyar Younesi, Stefano Battaglia. The reason why I discovered the festival is to watch my favorite soprano player Klaus Gesing solo, but if you look at the festival program, I must say that the film screenings, panels and workshops are also very attractive. You should go where you can find the time. The festival, which is planned to show 2 concerts, 2 workshops and an average of 1 movie per day, will last for 4 days. Every musician is doing a workshop, grab your instrument and go, it’s very, very exciting! Films on display; “Sacred Music: Henryk Górecki & Arvo Pärt”, “Sounds & Silence: Travels with Manfred Eicher” and “Open Land: Meeting John Abercrombie”.
It will be very enjoyable to watch these 3 films, which you cannot find, on the Arter Auditorium screen as part of the festival. I would like to thank the organizers for such a nice and busy program. Like I said, the music event I’ve been most excited about in a long time is going to go wherever I can. Take a look at the program at https://sohfest.com/event/sohfest-edition-2023-solo-improvisation/ and I’m sure you’ll find something you like. Support live music, music heals!
