Build your own Darmstadt: space for music, art, and pedagogy outside the institution

Since 2004, Darmstadt „Classics of the Avant Garde“ has been the Brooklyn-based contemporary music series led by composer-musicians Zach Layton and Nick Hallett. Originally started as a „listening party“ of avant-garde recordings at Galapagos Art Space, Darmstadt NYC quickly evolved into a live performance series in residence at ISSUE Project Room, and was included in the New York Times Best of New Music rundown on numerous occasions and critically acclaimed for its annual all-star performance celebration of Terry Riley’s in C, at Lincoln Center in 2024 and celebrating Riley’s 90th in 2025. In 2016, Darmstadt NYC collaborated with the Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt to celebrate the festival’s 70th anniversary.

This open space talk will discuss strategies for developing pedagogy outside the academy, organizing DIY concerts, building community, and learning how to nurture a vibrant musical ecosystem with little to no funding.