The Academy of Arts in Berlin has announced the appointment of composer, musician, and installation artist Manos Tsangaris as its new president. Anh-Linh Ngo has been appointed as vice president for three years. Tsangaris is a well-known figure in the German music industry, having been a member of the academy’s music section since 2009 and previously serving as director from 2012 to 2021.
Founded in 1696, the Academy of Arts is one of the oldest cultural institutes in Europe, with an international community of artists divided into six sections. After serving for nine years, filmmaker Jeanine Meerapfel and writer Kathrin Röggla stepped down as president and vice president. According to the academy’s statutes, a fourth term for the two was not planned, and the candidates kept their plans secret until the decision was made.
Tsangaris is a 67-year-old artist who hails from Düsseldorf and currently resides in Cologne. He studied at the music academy from 1976 to 1983 under Mauricio Kagel for composition and new music theater, as well as Christoph Caskel for percussion. Besides his compositions, Tsangaris also writes poems and prose texts and works as a visual artist. He has directed the Munich Biennale for New Music Theater since 2016 and has been a Professor of Composition at the Carl Maria von Weber Academy of Music in Dresden since 2009, along with receiving several accolades including the Mauricio Kagel Music Prize.
In addition to the new appointments, the Academy also welcomed new members to its Senate in various sections, including Fine Arts, Architecture, Music, Literature
