Feet Become Eats Vol. 7 - hear now berlin & Neasa Ní Bhriain

In the organizer's words:

"Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottom of your feet become ears." - Inspired by the spirit of Pauline Oliveros, Feet Become Ears brings together a new generation of composers and musicians exploring how and where we listen and what we expect from contemporary music. Rooted in minimalism and post-minimalism, the collective builds on achievements of the American avant-garde and creates space for open, curious and connective listening. Feet Become Ears returns in 2025 with a new season exclusively in Leipzig. Three concerts will bring together one solo artist and one ensemble.
hear now berlin is a young chamber ensemble founded in Berlin in 2019 by the American flautist Kelly Watson Woelffer, which is dedicated to innovative contemporary music. With members from Australia, Germany, New Zealand and the USA, it combines avant-garde, jazz, pop and free improvisation into a post-genre sound body. hear now berlin plays works by young composers such as Nathan Schramm, Andrew Norman, Caroline Shaw and Gabriella Smith and stands for cross-genre collaborations. Their debut album was released in spring 2023 on backlash music.
Neasa Ní Bhriain is an Irish violist, composer and professor of viola at the Dresden University of Music. Living between Dublin, Leipzig and Dresden, she is known for interdisciplinary and socially engaged projects. She is a founding member of Ensemble reflektor, plays with Ensemble Resonanz and Maria Reich's String Quartet, and was principal viola of the Staatskapelle Weimar from 2018 to 2023. Her versatile work includes improvisation, electronics and composition, including with the Ensemble gem in Leipzig. She is also active in the independent arts scene with the FOKUS Forum and the Thuringian Kuratorium.
www.feetbecomeears.com

hear now berlin
Kelly Watson Woelffer (flute)
Jens Thoben (clarinet)
Paul Hübner (trumpet)
Meike-Lu Schneider (violin)
Alexina Hawkins (viola)
Edward King (violoncello)

Neasa Ní Bhriain (viola)

Feet Become Ears Vol. 7
12.12. galerie KUB Leipzig - Hear Now Berlin & Neasa Ní Bhriain

"Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottom of your feet become ears." - Inspired by the boundary-pushing spirit of Pauline Oliveros, Feet Become Ears brings together a new generation of composers and musicians committed to exploring how we listen, where we listen, and what we expect from contemporary music. Rooted in minimalism and postminimalism, the collective builds on the legacy of the American avant-garde and creates space for listening practices grounded in openness, curiosity, and connection. In 2025, Feet Become Ears returns with a new season taking place exclusively in Leipzig. Across three evenings, each concert pairs a solo artist with an ensemble, creating juxtapositions of intimate expression and collaborative sound.

hear now berlin is a young chamber ensemble founded in 2019 in Berlin by American flutist Kelly Watson Woelffer, dedicated to innovative contemporary music. With members from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the USA, they blend avant-garde, jazz, pop, and free improvisation into a post-genre sound. They perform works by young composers like Nathan Schramm, Andrew Norman, Caroline Shaw, and Gabriella Smith, and create collaborations across jazz and pop for a fresh take on contemporary music. Their debut album was released in spring 2023 on backlash music.

Neasa Ní Bhriain is an Irish violist, composer and Professor of Viola at the Hochschule für Musik Dresden. Based between Dublin, Leipzig and Dresden, she is known for interdisciplinary and socially engaged projects. Neasa is a founding member of ensemble reflektor, performs with Ensemble Resonanz and Maria Reich's String Quartet, and was section leader of the Staatskapelle Weimar from 2018 to 2023. Her versatile work spans improvisation, electronic music and composition, including projects with the ensemble gem in Leipzig. She is active in the freelance arts community with FOKUS Forum and the Thüringer Kuratorium.