Next week, thousands of artists, music business professionals, and party seekers from across the globe will converge in Austin, Texas for the annual SXSW Music Festival and Conference. While there will be the usual deluge of big-name bands, buzzing newcomers, and, of course, our own FLOODfest party to check out, this year German Music @ SXSW 2024—a project managed by Initiative Musik (the German Music Export Office)—will be making a significant impact at the festival with a series of official showcases spotlighting German artists spanning multiple genres.
Their live programming kicks off on Tuesday, March 12, with a special night of “Modern Classical Music from Germany” at the Central Presbyterian Church, including performances by piano-based electronic duo Grandbrothers, orchestral pop composer/singer/pianist Lisa Morgenstern, and neo-classical artist Sofi Paez.
Of particular note, Grandbrothers’ latest album, Late Reflections, was designed and created to perform at the famous centuries-old Cologne Cathedral in Germany, with the duo stating that it was a collaboration between them and the gothic cathedral itself, inspired by what it means for music to interact with architecture and physical space. To capture this, they actually moved their studio to the heart of the cathedral, working at night when it was closed to the public. It will be fascinating to watch them perform their evocative music within the walls of the historic Austin church, which was founded in 1839.
Grandbrothers / photo by Dominik Groetz
From Kraftwerk to Boys Noize, Germany has a long history of producing influential electronic and dance artists. On Wednesday, March 13, German Music @ SXSW will take over the Coconut Club Rooftop to showcase some of the country’s brightest new electronic artists, including sets by Sofia Kourtesis, Malugi, Nils Hoffmann, and Session Victim.
You can’t leave Austin without some BBQ. German Music @ SXSW will be closing out their showcases with a daytime party and BBQ at the lively Shangri-La dive bar/beer garden, featuring sets from a diverse selection of emerging artists including ÄTNA, Lie Ning, Meagre Martin, Orbit, and Willow Parlo.
Session Victim
Sofia-Kourtesis
In addition to the live showcases, German Music @ SXSW will also be represented at the “The AI Impact – Reshaping the Music Industry” panel at Innovation Bridge Europe House (Thompson Hotel Austin) on March 11 at 4:00 p.m. local time, as well as hosting an invitation-only luncheon on March 13 with members of the German music industry delegation and international industry representatives.
German Music @ SXSW and the performances of the German artists are supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. For more information on all of the artists and the full schedule of events, visit the Initiative Musik site.
