NOT JUST ANOTHER MUSIC FESTIVAL
Detect Festival is run by a great team of creatives based in Berlin. The collective is responsible for organizing events focused on the fusion of electronica and classical music – inspiring new unexpected musical and artistic collaborations. Today we speak to the team about their concept, some amazing highlights so far, and plans for 2024!
Greetings, Detect Team! Could you introduce yourselves and provide us with insights into the Detect Classic Festival and its underlying concept?
Konstantin: I am Konstantin, and I was one of the founders of the festival. At the time, I was on the board of my student orchestra junge norddeutsche philharmonie, and we wondered why our musicians didn't invite their friends to our concerts and privately attended other events. That's how the idea for the Detect Festival came about.
Paulina: I’m also one of the first people out of the orchestra who developed the idea of the festival. Today I am the artistic director of the Detect Ensemble and supporting dramaturgy and booking, especially on the more experimental and classical side of things. Next to my work for Detect, I’m a composer and musician in contemporary and experimental electronic music.
Joseph: I'm Joseph, head of booking and dramaturgy of the Detect Classic Festival. Originally coming from the subcultural electronic scene of Berlin, after years of DJing, raving, and making events, I got a bit bored and fed up with schematic events. Most likely at the same time as Pauli and Konstantin, I had an Eureka moment about what the electronic and classical music and scene can give and receive to and from each other. When I met Pauli and Konstantin all planets were aligned…
Jasmin: Hi, I'm Jasmin. I am responsible for all things regarding communication. I handle our social media and Web presence and take care of the Marketing and PR of our festival. I came into the loop in 2019 when I was asked to write a Press release and take care of some Social Media postings. From there, I quickly took over more and more tasks and was asked to become part of the team a little while later. Detect Classic Festival is all about experiencing music and musical traditions in a different setting, which made me fall in love with it.
With the 2023 edition of the festival now behind us, could you offer a brief recap? What were the standout moments for you personally?
Jasmin: My highlight was the Stegreif Orchestra concert. A true Detect moment, with the audience singing along to an improvised symphony. But this was just one of many moments where I felt goosebumps!
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Konstantin: This year we managed to build trust. We were able to implement many learnings of the last years, and now unite very different practices, needs, and demands of creators from subcultural collectives to classical concert organizers. Also, I am happy to see that our growing audience has become more diverse: We've had more children as well as elderly people at the festival this year and thanks to the work of the collectives and our programming, more and more queer people shape our festival.
Paulina: My highlight was the Liederabend ("song night") of Johannes Worms and Nasti. They used a very traditional form of giving a concert and lifted it to a whole new level - without changing much about the way, they were standing on stage. Their choice of songs and their moderation reflected fragile masculinity, and they managed to be emotionally incredibly close to everyone in the audience. Even my father, who sometimes is a little skeptical of modern concepts of gender and identity was so touched, he talked for days about this concert. For me, this shows that music and concerts are sometimes a wonderful way to talk about sensitive topics. And I think it is also because of the unique space, the festival is offering, that the audience can open to events like this, more than they would do in their daily life.
Joseph: I have several special moments in mind: As creator of the timetable, I am always very curious to see if the planned dramaturgy works out and listen to all music on all stages. So, I am running around like a squirrel, collecting ideas for the winter planning phase. Dipping in here and there, unable to stay for longer times. But when I entered our cute Open-Air stage "Kokon" while MITSUNE was playing their concert, I suddenly found myself glued to a couch witnessing this fantastic vibe and energy of traditional Japanese music. They played as a trio on Shamisen, the traditional Japanese Lute.
We had one short, massive rain shower on Saturday night, everyone was squeezing together under tents and trees. Marina Herlop and Dictaphone were performing during this unique, electrified after-the-rain-mood. Magic concerts and one of these detect moments we're doing this for. Not that we wish for more rain…
We had this little choir performing East European pieces in the castle church. When they left the Chapel, the whole audience followed them singing which ended up in a 30-minute singing jam session next to the church's graveyard. There was KAVALL who connected each string of his guitar to a dedicated speaker, surrounding and enchanting the audience. Or a dance performance ending up in a massive ecstatic rave. The pianist Frank Dupree likes beverages made from agave… well, I better stop here, my head is still full of very special unique moments.
Jasmin: This year, most of all, it feels like we finally accomplished what we had been envisioning for the festival. You could feel this enthusiasm in the musicians and the audience. There's still this afterglow in our socials, and we've been getting many messages and positive feedback. We're thankful and ready to build on that.
You are known for captivating, unexpected collaborations that materialize during the festival, along with an invariably unique lineup. Could you shed light on your creative process and the curation of this lineup? What guiding principles shaped the narrative of Detect?
Konstantin: The name is all about it, together we discover what we don't know yet. Joseph is truly an incredible music connoisseur and senses the vibe in advance…
Paulina: Curating this festival comes with quite some challenges because a dancefloor works somewhat differently from a concert hall. And we want to have both and want the concerts to be interlocked, more than just coexisting. We need to find unique acts and artists, who cover the in-betweens but also those who stand for their genres. Meaning: We want to have pure classical music and pure electronic music, and we want to have the artists, who build the bridges. We sometimes get the question, if we’re a neo-classical festival, but we’re not, we’re covering the whole range and more.
Joseph: Yes, not much to add here. You cannot explore (or detect) something you already know. Therefore, Detect is a free space we create. A zone of experimentation and experience. And we’re brave enough to fail (preferably risk something). As we are honoured by our partners Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with the sustained trust and curative freedom to do so. And what may also help to avoid the "playlistable" traps of decorative Neo Classic, plastic-and-strings-with-some-beat-music: We are quite allergic to kitsch.
How does Detect position itself in the dynamic realm of German and European festivals? What distinguishes Detect from the rest, and what drives your mission?
Jasmin: Our mission is to create something new in the festival world. Germany has thousands of festivals in the summer - a lot of opportunities. But most festivals are either electronic music festivals, focused on DJ bookings, rave culture, and a young (German) urban audience - or they are pure live music festivals with a focus on certain genres. Our festival wants to bring both worlds together - revolving around the original idea of bringing classical music to an electronic music festival setting and vice versa. But we don't stop at classical or electronic music, and we are not a "crossover" festival. We want to create a space where all musical traditions and innovations can be heard. This is where the magic of Detect happens.
The festival's visual aesthetic and its venue seem integral to the experience. Could you take us on a tour of Schloss Bröllin, your chosen location?
Jasmin: We are beyond the moon to have found this location and the people of Schloss Bröllin allow us to create this event there. When you feature classical music or rather classical instruments without an amp, you need the indoors. But for an electronic music festival, you need a nice outdoor area, the view, the sun, the wind. With Schloss Bröllin, we have found a location where we can do all of that. We even have a "club" in one of the buildings, which is perfect for anyone wanting the ultimate rave experience.
Konstantin: Not only the castle, but the entire village and its residents support the festival: the neighbors who mow their lawn for us to use as a campsite, sell breakfast over the garden fence, and celebrate with us - they are priceless.
Paulina: I agree and of course, without our crews, it would not work. They build the stages and bars, creating an atmosphere with lights, chill-out areas, and a lot of nice details to discover throughout the area.
Considering the festival's international audience, what recommendations would you offer to those planning their Detect journey?
Jasmin: Drive up there with a van or bring a tent with you if you are able. It's worth it to get the proper experience and stay the entire three days. Bring your kids or your grandparents. Detect is a festival where friends and family can come together to enjoy the music. Or just come alone and the music will take you away.
Paulina: Bring something to write down your new musical discoveries! (And then back home you can mess up your algorithms and impress or confuse your friends with all the findings …)
Joseph: This wonderful castle feels like the first real home of Detect, after being festival nomads the last years. And as we are peeling off layer by layer, skin by skin, we’re getting closer to the Detect Core concerning the program and organization. The collaborating artist collectives start creating a unique visual Detect idea at this place. Over the next years, I am curious to explore this venue together with everyone participating.
What can the audience anticipate from the forthcoming Detect Classic Festival in 2024?
Konstantin: You will be able to witness how we grow. The festival will remain an intimate experience, but it will mature in detail and quality. We are firmly convinced of this because this year has shown that we have a special team with an incredible sense of community, enormous motivation to push the boundaries, and hunger for special moments.
Jasmin: 2024, we will put additional focus on our classical music program because we have seen the immense potential and the audience's will to experience it all on this one special weekend. Apart from the festival itself, we are working on other cute little projects like a residency, and you will be able to experience some of that at the festival… Follow us to stay up to date!
Joseph: With every year the Detect Classic Festival will become more Detect Classic Festival. I am looking forward to this fantastic progress and what will be created in the forthcoming editions.
