Acousmo: Marina mello, Khabat Abbas

Doors: 20:30
Concerts: 21:30

Address: Allmendstrasse 93, 8041 Zürich , Halle D, First Floor

Acousmo is a concert and sound art series focused on intentional listening. It offers a space for concentrated engagement with live sound and aims to counter the fast and superficial consumption of music. In this cycle, Acousmo introduces a new format: each evening begins with two solo performances by musicians or sound artists that are curated by the community. These are followed by an improvised set where both artists perform together.

Marina mello (ZH)

Marina Mello is a Brazilian harpist based in Zurich with a wide range of experience as a musician. She has developed a unique and very expressive style through the harp and its infinite possibilities. In this sense, she presents her artistic journey, mainly researching new sound textures through paradoxes between emptiness and noisy textures, and harmonic and random-spontaneous vertical sounds. Focusing on non-traditional ways of playing – with extended technique, prepared instrument and with effect pedals (hybrid, acoustic and electric harps), Marina believes that as a woman and a harpist there are many stereotypes and expectations that can and should be disrupted. In 2022, she graduated with honors with a Master’s degree at ZHdK (Zurich University of arts) under the guidance of Professor Sarah O’Brien (classical harp), Lucas Niggli (improvisation practices), Ariana Savall (renascence music) and Charlotte Hug (transdisciplinary practices).

Khabat Abbas(LDN)

Khabat Abas is a cellist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist from Kurdistan-Iraq. Her work investigates time, space, and memory through music, and noise. She is particularly interested in how we experience sound within different geopolitical contexts. Abas pushes the boundaries of her instrument—improvising, composing, producing videos and sound installations, building cellos from unconventional materials, and incorporating the body as an instrument. Through this practice, she fuses politics with the personal, challenging dominant values and systems of control.