Residency of Margherita Berlanda hosted by Signal To Noise in partnership with Festival A Estrada
The Signal To Noise Festival was glad to present O.T.E. - On The Edge by accordionist/ performer Margherita Berlanda with music by Manuela Kerer (2023/2025 - new version) and Anna Sowa (MinimalANIMAL I and II), in collaboration with choreographer Angela Demattè. The premiere was on 24 April 2025 during the EFFEA Leading Festival Signal To Noise at Teatro di Pergine (Pergine - Trentino Südtirol Italy), in partnership with A Estrada Festival. Thanks, European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists, European Festivals Association, and Anamolìa.
The OTE project emphasises the convergence of movement, sound, gesture, and music, with natural phenomena serving as the primary source of inspiration. The work explores and reflects the organic gestures and sounds found in nature, creating a dialogue between the primal and the contemporary through innovative sound and movement integration.
The space becomes the setting for a co-creation process that speaks on several levels: from the sound to the visual, and it also does so by physically constructing the starting elements, almost with the ultimate aim of going in search of the essential.
More on the residency
The residency included a one-week workshop in Italy (Teatro di Pergine), where EFFEA Artist Margherita Berlanda could work with choreographer Angela Demattè on the piece by Manuela Kerer and Anna Sowa. It was not foreseen but represents an absolute plus in the project: the creation of a new instrument for the piece minimalANIMAL II by Anna Sowa. This was possible thanks to the cooperation between the artists and the researcher Francesco Manenti, founder of the SCARAB lab company that creates extensions and supports for instruments, all using recycled plastic and other recycled components.
On 18 April 2025, an open rehearsal involved community members, experts, artists, Signal To Noise representatives, A Estrada Festival (online), and Teatro di Pergine’s staff. This helped refine the work. A final public presentation took place on 24 April, with talks led by local journalists and artists to promote interest in innovative music and art, foster curiosity and make the concert more inclusive to all audiences. The theatre hall was full and very active in listening.
Overall, the residency served as a fertile ground for critical reflection on artistic research, creation, sustainability, equity, and community engagement. It inspired innovative practices promoting well-structured creation with fair working conditions, gender equity, and broader inclusivity in the arts.
Future plans
The O.T.E project will be presented whole or in parts during solo concerts by Margherita Berlanda, including in Italy at Festival Aperto in Reggio Emilia (22 November 2025) and MA/IN Festival in Potenza (October 2025), Denmark at Vendsyssel Festival in Aalborg (3 August 2025), and Germany at Hochschule für Musik Trossingen (16 December 2025).