New Emergences is a lecture and discussion series highlighting the current debates around gender in electronic, contemporary and experimental music.
They presented their 5th edition in Splendor Amsterdam on 13 December and they asked me to be the moderator this time.
I have enjoyed the role of keynote speaker and panel member in the past and this time the challenge was terrific since I was hosting the event in Splendor and acting as moderator for a highly charged panel and public.
The keynote speaker was Kate Moore and the panel members were Henriƫtte Post, Joel Ryan and Rozalie Hirs. Look them up. They are formidable people and accomplished in their work.
Kate’s keynote was poetic, informative and confronting all at the same time and the panel members and public grappled with the issues she put forward with passion.
Gender issues are hot.
I was particularly inspired by the stories that came from the younger generation which included shaking up academic curricula and forming feminist activity and action groups.