The Studio for Electroacoustic Music at the Akademie der Künste is an institution at the intersection of contemporary electronic music and sound art with a long-standing tradition. Since 2012 it has been housed in the Akademie building on Hanseatenweg.

A recording studio with recording equipment, synthesizers, mixing desks and loudspeakers — Studio for Electroacoustic Music, Akademie der Künste
© Tony Elieh

About the Studio

The Studio for Electroacoustic Music is a space for artists who want to incorporate the latest trends in electroacoustic music and sound art into their works. It is available for use by members and fellows from all sections of the Akademie. A residency programme provides artists from the independent scene the opportunity to implement creative projects. The studio’s exclusive, high-end environment and staff team support the realisation of artistic visions at the interface of art and technology.

Besides generating projects for Akademie events, the studio also produces specially curated programmes featuring contributions from the realms of electroacoustic music and art, such as the “Sample and Hold” concert series. Every two years, the studio organises the KONTAKTE festival for electroacoustic music and sound art.

A synthesiser console with plugs and buttons — Studio for Electroacoustic Music, Akademie der Künste
© Malte Giesen

Remit and Advisory Board

The Studio for Electroacoustic Music fosters new initiatives in time-based, performative, digital arts, exploring the interface between sound, music and technology. It is also tasked with preserving and mediating the repertoire of electroacoustic music.

Its remit ranges from live and studio recordings to the realisation of concerts with live electronics, the design of sound and video installations and the production of new works.

The studio operates in consultation with an advisory board, consisting of Arnold Dreyblatt (Visual Arts Section), Hanna Hartman (Music Section), Christina Kubisch (Music Section) and Martin Supper.

History

The Studio for Electroacoustic Music at the Akademie der Künste has a long tradition. It was introduced to the public in 1986, but plans to establish an experimental studio date back to the early 1960s. The studio at the Akademie der Künste (East) was instituted in 1980 as a production facility and meeting place for composers and master students, after which it was responsible for numerous productions, seminars and concerts.

Following the amalgamation of the two academies, the studio was housed in a number of temporary locations. The move in 2012 to the Akademie building in the Hansaviertel district of Berlin was accompanied by a reopening ceremony.

Learn more about the history of the studio

Sound, Music and Technology – Insights into the Studio (in German)

Residency Programme

The studio's residency programme promotes new initiatives and inspiring ideas in the field of time-based, performative, digital arts at the intersection of sound, music and technology.

It is awarded to eight to ten recipients for a maximum of two weeks and is open to all artists who wish to apply with individual or group projects in the following categories:

Project proposals from artists for creating new, instrumental, and electronic works
Works related to acoustics, computer music and radio art, as well as other forms of electroacoustic music and sound art
Project proposals from artists of all disciplines who consider sound to be a central element of their artistic work
Curatorial, publishing and educational projects in the field of sound-based art practice, especially those that refer to the Akademie der Künste in terms of content
Independent research projects in the field of acoustics, computer science and music studies, namely software development, spatialisation or network technologies

The Residency Programme is not linked to an accommodation on principle. However, reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses is possible on a case-by-case basis. Collaboration with other organisations and existing programmes is expressly welcomed. By submitting a project proposal, applicants accept the terms and conditions of this call for applications.

The studio’s director and its advisory board make the selection of Residency Programme recipients.

Application

There are two periods per year during which a stay of up to two weeks is possible.

From 1 Apr to 30 Jun
Application deadline: 31 Jan of the respective year

From 1 Sep to 30 Nov
Application deadline: 30 Jun of the respective year

Apply Here

Equipment and Usage

With two individual studios and a recording room, the Studio for Electroacoustic Music offers acoustically optimised production facilities equipped with professional analogue and digital technology.

Studio 1

Studio 1 is the central production location. The acoustically optimised room, flooded with daylight, measures 57 square metres and is extremely versatile. The studio is equipped with professional analogue and digital technology and is particularly suitable for multi-channel productions.

It can be used for recording, mixing, mastering, digitising, rehearsals and small events. The permanently installed truss allows for an individually tailored configuration of the 24 available loudspeakers for each project.

Studio 2

Studio 2 offers space for two-channel productions and recordings, as well as the opportunity for artists to work independently on their projects.

Recording Room

The recording room is located between the two studios and can be used by both studios. It is particularly suitable for voice and small instrumental recordings. In addition to a wide range of small and large diaphragm microphones, the microphone equipment also includes some rarities such as an artificial head microphone and a larynx microphone.

A wooden-framed keyboard with an electronic synthesizer console — Studio for Electroacoustic Music, Akademie der Künste
© Tony Elieh

External Booking

From 2026, the Studio for Electroacoustic Music will be available for booking by external productions for the first time. In the exclusive high-end studio environment with unique electronic instruments, where members, scholarship recipients and guests of the Akademie usually realise their projects, artists from the independent scene will also be able to book professional production time in future. Supported by the studio's experienced team, this creates a workspace where artistic visions at the interface of art and technology can be realised at the highest level.

To make a booking enquiry, please contact: estudio@adk.de

Events

Concerts, festivals, events: The studio’s programme involves collaboration with other facets of the Akademie der Künste (sections, fellowships, archives) and cooperation with universities, music festivals and other artistic institutions.

KONTAKTE Festival for Electroacoustic Music and Sound Art

The name KONTAKTE refers to Stockhausen's groundbreaking work of the same title (which created a new context for connecting musical categories) as well as to the series of events initiated in the 1980s by Georg Katzer at the Studio for Electroacoustic Music of the Akademie der Künste.

The festival builds on this tradition and presents current positions in electroacoustic music and sound art. KONTAKTE sees itself as a platform for innovation, interdisciplinary exchange and intensive listening. International artists and partner institutions contribute to keeping the tradition of electroacoustic music alive and providing new impulses.