Urban Rhythms: From Traditional Beats to City Streets in the University of Art, Berlin UDK
Block Workshop | English/Deutsch |
Location: Hardenbergstr. 33, Room 201
Course Overview
This Course connects traditional oriental percussion with the sounds of Berlin. By blending these elements, we will create an immersive auditory experience that enhances our awareness of the present moment while exploring shifts in time and space. Using a non-Eurocentric perspective, we will analyze how urban soundscapes reflect social and cultural dynamics. Themes such as movement, time, and identity will guide our exploration. Students will learn how sound influences and documents urban life, capturing its gradual transformations.
What to Expect
Phase 1: Hands-on Percussion Practice
We begin by learning the rhythms of oriental percussion instruments and their cultural significance. Students will practice playing these instruments, gaining a foundation in traditional beats.
Phase 2: Sound Walks & Urban Rhythms
Next, we take sound walks through different neighborhoods. Students will record unique urban sounds, listening to the rhythms present in daily life. We’ll then work with music software, drum machines, loopers, and electronic hand drums to manipulate and transform these recordings, creating new compositions inspired by the rhythms of the city
Phase 3: Sound Editing & Composition
Back in the classroom, we analyze the recordings and compare them to traditional percussion patterns. Using music software, drum machines, loopers, and electronic hand drums, students will manipulate and layer their recordings. They’ll experiment with different rhythms, effects, and techniques to blend urban and traditional sounds, creating a unique final composition that showcases the fusion of both worlds.
Accreditation Criteria
To receive an ungraded accreditation, participants must be active, open-minded, and engaged. Music knowledge is beneficial but not required.
About the Instructor
Ali Hasan is a Berlin-based musician, percussionist, and healing artist with Syrian roots. He has performed solo and with groups such as Pulsar Collective and Dabke Community Dance by Sasha Waltz & Guests. His collaborations include artists like Ziad Rahbani, Joel Holmes, Zhynea Topov, and Clemens Rynkowski.
Beyond music, Ali is a certified physical therapist from the Akademie der Gesundheit Berlin/Brandenburg e.V., integrating therapy with artistic expression. As co-founder and Art Curator of BAYNATNA, the Arabic-German Library, he promotes Arabic and international arts. BAYNATNA received recognition, including “The Power of Art 2020: Transforming Society.” At the Humboldt Forum, Ali curates and performs music with the Resident Music Collective. His work has gained international acclaim in various media outlets.