Ultraschall Berlin 2026

Ultraschall Berlin – a festival for new music presented by Deutschlandfunk Kultur and radio3 from rbb is returning to Radialsystem and other locations in Berlin from 14 - 16 January 2026. The festival has undergone several metamorphoses, yet it has remained true to its core concept: From the very beginning, Ultraschall Berlin has been a festival that integrates recently created works into a music-historical context dating back to the beginnings of post-war avant-garde, which has since expanded to cover a period of 80 years.

Aesthetic developments become recognisable in this kind of historical echo chamber, allowing us to better comprehend intergenerational and cyclical movements. Although the number of premieres has increased considerably over the last few years, the festival’s dual approach remains: to provide a forum for current trends in contemporary music, and simultaneously locate these current productions within a music-historical continuum. As natural as it is for most musicians to become artistically involved in current debates, it is equally legitimate to work independently from all of these. Ultraschall Berlin gives space to both tendencies.

The concerts in Radialsystem are accompanied by artist talks, discussion groups and brief musical interludes on Friday and Saturday.