11 JUL 2022 · Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie: The EMS Series Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie [Short Stories] inaugurates a new chapter dedicated to the past, present and future of Electronic Music Studios: are EMS still active? Who works there and how? The podcast series includes a collection of interviews, sounds and music to discover EMS’ legacies and new talents. Episode #5 From Istanbul to Berlin is dedicated to the history of Turkish electronic music, narrated by Başak Günak. Berlin-based, Istanbul born Başak Günak is a musician, composer and sound artist, also internationally known as AH! KOSMOS in the field of electronic music. She released two LPs from Compost Records & Denovali Records and numerous EPs. Both timeless and otherworldly, Günak’s work unconsciously defies being tied to a genre, tapping into something beyond an immediate surrounding or experience to communicate something more transcendental. Günak uses polyrhythms, electronic composition and found sounds to build a mystical world of modulation into which one can sink and be carried away.Günak pursues her sound experimentations as a sound artist, composing soundscapes for theater, contemporary dance, film and visual art projects, and realising site-specific performances. Her works have been featured worldwide in several festivals and institutions, such as Barbican Theatre, Berlin CTM, Sonar Festival, Rotterdamse Schouwburg, Kunstmuseum Basel, Prague Quadrennial and Istanbul International Theatre Festival. In 2020, she presented her latest solo sound installation THE WELL, a piece for 11 speakers and performance in VKV Museum Istanbul. In 2021, she has done composition and sound design for Berlin State Museums, Kunstmuseum Basel and granted a residency in HELLERAU for her upcoming sound installation. Currently, she is working on compositions for a project in Martin-Gropius Bau. More about Ah! Kosmos: https://ahkosmos.com/ http://instagram.com/ahkosmos Picture credit: Arda Funda Track list: 1. Ah! Kosmos, “Out-Ro-In-Growth” 2. Ah! Kosmos, “Trace of Waterfalls” 3. Bülent Arel/Daria Semegen, “Music for String Quartet and Tape” [excerpt], 1980 4. Ilhan Mimaroğlu, “Immolation Scene"[excerpt], 1983 5. Gökçen Kaynatan “Cennet Dünyamiz" [excerpt], 1968 c.a. 6. Bülent Arel, “Stereo Electronic Music N°1” [excerpt], 1960 7. Cenk Ergün, Forge, 2008 8. Alper Maral, "Sho", 2001 9. Ilhan Mimaroğlu, “Agony”, [excerpt], 1965 Do not miss the previous episode: From From Athens to Toronto -> https://www.spreaker.com/user/8877612/brevistorie-ems-ep-4-mantha-katsikana

31 MAY 2022 · Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie: The EMS Series Episode #4 From Athens to Toronto is dedicated to the history of electronic music in Greece narrated by Mantha Katsikana, researcher and sound artist born in Greece and now living in Canada. Track list: • Michael Adamis, extract form Minyrismos (1966) collected in Sub Rosa - An Anthology of Greek Experimental Music 1966-2016 • Michael Adams, extract from Metallika Glipta (1974) collected in EMI - Greek Electronic Music • Lena Platonos: A Physical Exercise Unresolved (1986) • Scizhic InzC, Puls.Ar() (miniature version) (2016) collected in Sub Rosa - An Anthology of Greek Experimental Music 1966-2016 • Paniotis Vellantis, Pithoigia (1989) collected in Sub Rosa - An Anthology of Greek Experimental Music 1966-2016 Do not miss the previous episodes: From Belgrade to Berlin featuring: Midori Hirano, Svetlana Maras and Bettina Wackernagel.

26 DEC 2021 · Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie: The EMS Series “From Belgrade to Berlin: Episode # 3 Bettina Wackernagel & Heroines Of Sound” ​​Directed by Bettina Wackernagel, Heroines of Sound is notably the most important initiative / festival dedicated to female electronic musicians, from the past and the present. The Festival format is not only a venue for concerts: it’s a music research platform and a network with many partners to empower the works of new talents: thanks to a cooperation with the Belgrade EMS, Heroines of Sound commissioned to Midori Hirano a new piece of music created with the notorious and rare Synthi 100.  Since 2014, the Berlin based festival has featured more than 260  top women artists from over 28 countries and presented showcases and cooperations with partner festivals and institutions in Poland, France, Denmark, Turkey, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Serbia and Mexiko. Due to  Heroines of Sound partnership a higher quota of female artists in music programs is achieved. Today the festival is esteemed for its pioneering work in presenting electronic music created by woman and has gained international recognition. In this episode, Bettina Wackernagel. will tell us the history and the future of Heroines of Sound. “From Belgrade to Berlin” series has been created thanks in cooperation with  Heroines of Sound Festival. Tracklist*:   • Pauline Oliveros, extract from A Woman Sees with No Eyes • Maryanne Amacher, extract from Synaptic Island • Ruth Anderson, extract from Points • Laurie Spiegel, extract from Finding Voice • Beatriz Ferreyra, extract from Médisances • Annette Vande Gorne, extract form Tao Métal • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Suzanne Ciani, extract from Paris • Beatriz Ferreyra, extract from Médisances • Annea Lockwood, extract from Dusk • Laurie Spiegel, extract from Appalachian Groove • Wendy Carlos, extract from The Secrets of Synthesis • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) * [opening & closing theme: Johann Merrich, For Dummies] More on Heroines of Sound:  https://www.heroines-of-sound.com/editions-2021/ Listen to the full Story: do not miss episodes 1 and 2 about Svetlana Maraš and Midori Hirano. Read the interview: https://en.electronicmusic-shorthistory.com/post/bettina-wackernagel-heroines-of-sound-festival

26 DEC 2021 · Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie: The EMS Series “From Belgrade to Berlin: Episode # 2 The Music of Midori Hirano” Midori Hirano is a classically trained pianist, composer and producer born in Kyoto and now based in Berlin. Thanks to Heroines of Sound Festival, Hirano has spent a residency period at the Belgrade EMS where she met the sound of the Synthi 100, thus composing a new piece of music – Distant Symphony – premiered at Heroines of Sound Festival in July 2021. “From Belgrade to Berlin” series has been created thanks to the support of Heroines of Sound Festival. Tracklist*: • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Midori Hirano, extract from Distant Symphony • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) • Midori Hirano, extract from Forests and Tides (Demo/Sketch Version) * [opening & closing theme: Johann Merrich, For Dummies] More on Midori Hirano: https://midorihirano.com/ Listen to the full Story: do not miss episodes 1 and 3 about Svetlana Maraš, Bettina Wrackenagel and Heroines of Sound. Read the interview here: https://en.electronicmusic-shorthistory.com/post/midori-hirano-ems-episode-2

26 DEC 2021 · Johann Merrich’s Brevi Storie: The EMS Series “From Belgrade to Berlin: Episode # 1 Svetlana Maras” Composer and sound artist, Svetlana Maraš has been artistic director at Radio Belgrade’s Electronic Music Studio [2016 - 2021]where she provided the restoration of the EMS Synthi 100. Together with Professor Maraš we will discover the history of this synthesizer and the studio, her career, her music and a very important piece by a pioneer of Serbian electronic music… “From Belgrade to Berlin” series has been created thanks to the support of Heroines of Sound Festival. Tracklist*: • Svetlana Maraš, extract from Il Tempo Insassato Che Pur Scorre • Svetlana Maraš, Opening [track N°1, extracted from the series of her 10 pieces Post-Excavation Activities] • Ljudmila Frajt, “Nocturno" (original version) * [opening & closing theme: Johann Merrich, For Dummies] More on Svetlana Maraš: https://www.svetlanamaras.com/ Listen to the full Story: do not miss episodes 2 and 3 about Midori Hirano, Bettina Wrackenagel and Heroines of Sound. Read the interview here: https://en.electronicmusic-shorthistory.com/post/svetlana-mara%C5%A1-brevi-storie-ems-3-pt-1