Ensemble 2012

Established in 1946, the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt has become widely known as one of the world’s central events for contemporary music. Every two years, composers, musicians, performers, sound artists and researchers come to Darmstadt to share their expertise on the latest musical developments and present their current pieces in public for the first time.

Titled Ensemble 2012, the summer courses in Darmstadt featured a new focus in the area of young talent promotion. The programme emphasized the composition, interpretation, improvisation, conducting and concert performance of contemporary chamber music. In intensive collaboration and exchange, established composers and performers teamed up with talented young musicians, composers and conductors. Top-rate ensembles, such as Ictus and the Ensemble Modern, have been invited to be mentors to young international ensembles like Nadar, besides, the dissonArt ensemble and El Perro Andaluz. This new focus on contemporary chamber music also featured public rehearsals and club concerts performed by an orchestra of 24 internationally renowned improvisation musicians. Thanks to the participation of such outstanding ensembles, the summer courses in Darmstadt not only presented a diverse range of performance and interpretive styles, but also significantly contributed to the continuing development of ensemble performance.

Artistic director: Thomas Schäfer; Artists: besides (BE), Curious Chamber Players (SE), Ensemble Modern, EXAUDI Vokalensemble (GB), Ictus Ensemble (BE), Linea Ensemble (FR), Nadar (BE), Splitter Orchester, Talea Ensemble (US), PARK (BE), Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and others

Darmstadt, various locations, 14 - 28 Jul. 2012