Ensemble Modern

Since it was founded in 1980, the Frankfurt-based Ensemble Modern has become one of the world's leading ensembles for New Music. Comprised of 18 soloists from around the world, the Ensemble Modern performs an average of 100 concerts and rehearses 70 new pieces each year - with a focus on contemporary German compositions.
The Ensemble Modern is renowned for its democratically-based organizational form and a working method that strongly influences its programme planning. There is no artistic director; the ensemble decides which pieces it wishes to perform each season - a wide spectrum of music, based on each member's personal experience and preferences. In addition to the ensemble, orchestra and chamber concerts, the Ensemble Modern's repertoire also includes music theatre, dance and video projects.

The Federal Cultural Foundation supports two major Ensemble Modern projects - the Ensemble Modern Orchestra and the International Ensemble Modern Academy.

When it was founded in 1998, the Ensemble Modern Orchestra was the world's first orchestra exclusively devoted to performing New Music. The orchestral complement is individually arranged to meet the requirements of each work. Thanks to twenty years of international concert touring, the orchestra has established a network of contacts with many outstanding musicians abroad who are frequently invited to participate in performances and help strengthen the core of the ensemble when necessary.

The International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA) was established in summer 2003 to introduce young musicians to New Music and enable the ensemble to pass its unique knowledge of contemporary compositions to the next generation. The IEMA offers grants and master courses, hosts a summer academy in Greece, and organizes forums for young composers, instrumentalists and musicologists.