Gate of Tehran

Festival

In the past century, Tehran has become a metropolis, a melting pot of 15 million people, the undeniable political, economic and cultural center of today's Iran. The most important national developments take place here, also in the artistic field, which has experienced an exciting revival in recent years.
In the music scene, the alternative current in particular has proved to be the driving force of contemporary artistic creation. Independent artists find new self-confidence and, with curiosity and courage, expand the boundaries of their work. They are aware of their social environment, know the thoughts, hopes and concerns of the people of today's Iran and involve them in their work. They are interested in the artistic and technical developments of the music scene in the "West", they try to receive them in their work and at the same time to stay close to their own cultural roots.
While Iran has long been represented on international stages and exhibitions in other cultural areas - especially film and visual arts - the knowledge of Iran's contemporary music scene outside of the country is limited and little international exchange has taken place.
House No. 4 is an independent artist collective in Tehran founded in 2013 by Tehran musician Mehdi "Peter" Pirhosseinlou. In recent years, House No. 4 has developed into an important platform for artists from the alternative and experimental music scene, through which they can network and freely exchange their work. Many joint projects, collaborations and events have emerged from this dynamically growing network.
House No. 4 has organized the multi-day festival "Days of Experimental Sounds (D.O.E.S.)" already four times in Tehran and the number of spectators has grown steadily from time to time. D.O.E.S. showcases performances of different genres: Electronic, Experimental, Alternative, Audio-Visual, Contemporary, Modern and Experimental Jazz. Often, these performances also include elements from other artistic fields, such as performing arts and dance.
House No. 4 brings the D.O.E.S. festival to Berlin to introduce Tehran's contemporary music scene to an international audience and to create an exchange on a professional, artistic and private level.
 

music program:

December, 14

Roya Arab
10or
Azarakhsh Farahani
Tarxun
Special appearance: Peter Brötzmann (A Jazz Conversation)

December, 15

Makan Ashgvari
Saba Alizadeh
Ali Phi with AshkanGh (Elemaun) 
Anna Sharifi / uon
Behrooz Moosavi & MMaria
Sam Ey
Ali Mirzaee
MAY 86

December, 16

Golnar & Mahan
Barad
Bon Baz
A S H
Behrang Shahinpar
Mahan Nia
Ridership 

group exhibition:

Ali Phi (Nullsight) 
Golnaz Bashiri
Vedad Famoorzadeh
Felix Lubbert & Mehdi Behboudi

talks: 

///Day 1: Artist Talk / Q&A
House No.4 (Peter Pirhosseinlou)
Saba Alizadeh 
Makan Ashgvari
Ali Phi (Elemaun)

///Day 2: Artist Talk / Q&A
Roya Arab
Mahan Mirarab (Golnar & Mahan)
Milad Zendehnam (10or)

///Day 3: 
Panel Discussion 1 ( Fluidity of Iran's Music and Art)
Panel Discussion 2 (Reflections on Gate of Tehran - Days of Experimental Sounds Festival) 
Roya Arab
Saba Alizadeh
Behrooz Moosavi
Milad Zendehnam
TBC

Fluidity of music in Iran: By way of free association music is a vehicle of passage through varied spaces, on the ground or underground, wherever there is a listener. It takes different forms, colors, tastes and attributes and becomes different by way of overlapping and fluidity within a complex cultural environment. We ask how different music genres with their different audiences and social fields in Iran, from traditional to pop, from official concerts to unofficial happenings, from folk to classical, from regional to capital, from noble to westernized, pass from one domain to the other? How these domains are fluid, overlap and complement each other?

The talks and panels are curated and moderated by Vedad Famourzadeh.

Many thanks to our sponsors and supporters. A big shout out to Ali Saghri from Nenok Film productions, Musikdfonds, Ali Phi from Nullsight, Iranische Gemeinde in Deutschland, Scharbat, Parsgold, Digital in Berlin for featuring us on their site, and silent green Kulturquartier for giving us this space to make this festival happen.