Alva Noto is the musical alias of Carsten Nicolai, a German artist and musician born in 1965 in Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz), based in Berlin. Working at the intersection of electronic music, visual art and science, he builds his own language of signs, acoustics and digital imagery rooted in strict reductionism. His long-running collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto produced a series of acclaimed albums, and his score for Alejandro González Iñárritu's film 'The Revenant' (2015) earned nominations for a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Grammy and Critics Choice Award. He runs the NOTON label and has performed at venues including the Guggenheim, Centre Pompidou and Tate Modern.
Alva Noto performed a rare live AV set at the Berliner Philharmonie as part of the Strom Festival for Electronic Music on 7 February 2026.
Carsten Nicolai returned to Pinksummer Contemporary Art gallery with the solo exhibition 'Atlas Borealis', 26 years after his first show there.
Alva Noto played Berghain in Berlin on 24 September 2025 - his first Berlin appearance in five years.
Alva Noto released 'Xerrox Vol. 5' on 29 November 2024 via NOTON, completing his five-part Xerrox series.
A V.I.R.U.S. box set collecting five collaborative albums by Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto was announced for release on 29 November 2024.
😴 Nothing scheduled with this artist in the near future.
(2 days)
An audiophile screening featuring composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and artist Alva Noto at Berlin's Funkhaus.
Experimental audio-visual installation featuring artists Alva Noto and Jerzy Mączyński at Berlin's ZENNER venue.
(7 days)
The seventh edition of Avant Art Festival brings together Polish experimental artists with the international scene. A multidisciplinary celebration of contemporary art and music across Berlin venues.
