Coincidentally, the first edition of Q3A took place in the year that marked the centennial of the 1917 Russian Revolution. Unlike 2018 and 2019, the 2020 and 2021 artists broadcast cozy sets virtually from their home studios. To mark the 1000th anniversary of the Basilica of St. Apostles in Cologne, Q3A 2021 also collaborated with the revived Ambient Festival by streaming live concerts and presenting Hauschka and Alvin Lucier’s The Ever Present Orchestra along with a performance of their own at the Zionskirche in Berlin. Since its premiere in 2017, Q3A has hosted 121 artists from 27 countries.
2022 features analog and virtual performances by 30 artists including James Heather, Liam Byrne, Midori Hirano, Laura Cannell, Perila, Mabe Fratti, Robert Ames & Ben Corrigan, to name a few. Traditional playing techniques are expanded and classical instrumentation is combined with modern. Ólafur Arnalds’ inspiring concert film “ISLAND SONGS” will be screened, as well as a cinematic visualization of the curators staging moving still lifes in Potsdam, which will be set to a live score by some of the artists. The Q3A focuses less on headliners and sees itself as an addition to the local cultural scene. One highlight is the invitation from the Echo Collective, a string quartet that excels in collaborations. On Saturday, it will play not only excerpts of their work with the award-winning Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, who tragically died recently, but also music by an up-and-coming Lithuanian composer. Finally, a joint improvisation will lead into Brueder Selke’s live set.