HEIMATLIEDER ALLSTARS - Booking

Innovative traditional German folk

The Multitonic Phonics are up to 16 German artists with roots in Vietnam, Serbia, Cuba, Morocco, Algeria, Portugal, Austria, Ukraine and Cameroon who have overcome linguistic barriers by exchanging their musical and cultural backgrounds - leading them to develop a new folklore. This is exactly what German traditional music needed, as - over the decades – it has become nothing else than kitschy Schlager. The Multitonic Phonics show an immigrated, new German folk culture that naturally developed itself over more than 30 concerts with changing artists on stage. It adapts a centuries-old musical repertoire to German and European everyday life.

So far, collaborations have been established between Serbian, Moroccan, Cuban, Vietnamese (all Berlin based) and Cameroonian (Augsburg based) artists who are expanding and complementing their respective folksongs. For the first time in August 2014 at the Foreign Office’s Ambassadors Conference, then in December 2014 at the ufaFabrik in Berlin, they showed their imported folklore to an enthusiastic audience that went crazy when, for example, a Serbian folk song met Cuban percussion, a Moroccan love song from the 15th century was accompanied by a Vietnamese monochord, Portuguese fado met Mongolian overtone singing, or an interpretation of an old German folk song was sung with African- Moroccan vocal techniques. Always traditional and yet quite new, clearly showing what happens when diversity has a positive effect on the development of a unique sound.

‘Multitonic Phonic – performances promote the integration of regional artists and local ensembles into their performances so that each concert becomes a unique happening of modern traditional German and European music.

Length: 90 to 100 minutes without break


Scope: 6-7 ensembles / artists, between 16 and 40 artists on stage (depending on the participation of local artists)


Aftershow-Party: possible

The performance can be a moderated concert.
The moderation intensity is flexible and depends on the location and requirements of the local organizer. On larger stages explanatory moderations take place before each artist. Moderator is co-inventor and producer Jochen Kühling. In the casual moderation part, he describes the culture and origin of the artists, interesting facts about the (occasionally) very unusual instruments and the content of the songs. During the performance, all the performers are on the stage.

The stage design adapts itself to the respective local conditions. This allows the artists to sit in a semicircle, the whole set up already installed for their performance, or they perform one by one, then including a small moderation part and a brief conversion. At the end of the concert, there is a big joint final of two to three songs, usually with enthusiastic participation of the audience!

Technique/Staff: (example stage set-up see PDF below), if conversions are necessary two stage assistants are required.

Sound: Vocal and instruments need analogue microphones or DI boxes. There are no amplifiers, as well as no complicated structures, such as drums. If an Asian choir is involved, a piano / grand piano is usually required.

Light: No special requirements.

Backstage: A total of 4 - 5 rooms, but at least two larger rooms, each for 7 persons, one with mirror for costume and make-up check is needed.Depending on the size and number of local artists also several rooms.

Arrival: The ensemble will arrive between 2pm and 3pm on the day of the performance. At 3 pm sound check begins, which ends at 6.30pm (latest).

Start of the concert: depending on the organiser between 7:30pm and 8:00pm. In the normal course of the concert, the stage and the backstage area are ready for cleaning around 11pm.

Special: When we are there, the artists continue to sing and play after the concert, either spontaneously in a nearby location, often together with regional artists, or even at a planned and previously announced after-show party. This should be negotiated separately.