Like a smart soccer club that spots and trains young talent, German Ensemble Modern also works on its future: since 2003 they have an educational programme called International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA). Young musicians are trained in a one-year master and obtain extensive concert experience giving more than 20 concerts a year performing 20th and 21st century repertoire. The students work closely with Ensemble Modern and various leading composers and conductors.
Tonight the ensemble is going to perform world premieres by three young female composers: Maya Verlaak from Ghent, who has worked with both IEMA and Ensemble Modern before, Genevieve Murphy from Amsterdam, and Yukiko Watanabe, who was born in Japan and currently lives and works in Austria. You will also hear a world premiere by Turkish composer Utku Asuroglu, who was nominated for the Gaudeamus Award in 2015. The young composers were selected by the European Ulysses Network and in April and August they worked with the musicians on the realisation of their works in Frankfurt.
Download here the handout for this concert.
Photo © IEMA
Composers
Maya Verlaak - SONG & DANCE: An excessively elaborate effort to explain or justify
Genevieve Murphy - Squeeze Machine
Utku Asuroglu - this and that
Yukiko Watanabe - Nue
Performers
International Ensemble Modern Academy
Lucas Vis - dirigent