Contrast Program Ensemble Music -
ensemble KONTRASTE

ensembleKONTRASTE was founded in Nuremberg in 1990. Right from the beginning it caught the attention of the public and the critics through its uncompromising programs and interpretations. Variable instrumentation allows it to engage in the most varied styles and genres of chamber music. The Nuremberg concert series opened in 1992 and was followed by concerts at home and abroad. Since then eK has given concerts in major European centers such as Vienna, Krakow, Paris, Athens, Munich, Berlin and received invitations to renowned festivals such as the Vienna Festival, Salzburg Festival, Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, the Ludwigsburg Palace Festival, the mdr Music Summer, the Janacek Festival Ostrava, the Berlinale, the Munich Film Festival, the Festival international du film d'Arras, the Fidena, the Rheinland-Pfalz Culture Summer, Les Giboulées de la Marionnette/ Strasbourg and the Imaginale.

In 1999 eK received the Wolfram-von-Eschenbach award, in 2000 the Sponsors' Award of the Ernst-von-Siemens Cultural Foundation, in 2004 the Cultural Award of the City of Nuremberg, as well as in 2007 the Friedrich-Baur award of the Academy of Fine Arts.

Numerous productions originated in conjunction with various German broadcasting corporations (SWR, SFB, RB, SR), the cooperation with the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting Service) being a particularly close one. Exemplary for the seriousness and intensity of the ensemble's work is its involvement with the Second Viennese School. Highly-lauded, almost rapturous interpretations arose under the direction of its long-standing artistic conductor Hermann Beyer, which is documented by works of Schönberg and Webern in a CD from Ambitus Records.

The ensemble has a basic predilection for the human voice and it gives concerts with such exceptional singers as Anke Vondung, Christoph Pregardien, Salome Kammer or the Vocal Ensemble Singer Pur.
The eK received major international recognition by accompanying silent movies live with newly composed music. It produces regularly for ZDF/arte and has been a guest performer at film festivals all over Europe, including the Berlinale. The ensemble cooperates in this area chiefly with the conductor and film specialist Frank Strobel.

eK celebrated its 15th anniversary with the premiere of "Schuberts Winterreise "- a Composed Interpretation" by Hans Zender (soloist: C. Pregardien) and launched in collaboration with the writer and translator Hans Wollschläger a series with the topic of music and literature under the title "Dichtercafe" (Poets' Café).
Moreover, eK has commissioned numerous compositions, from among others M. Smolka, A. Hamary, H. Winbeck, and engages in subjects that overstep boundary lines such as dance and theatre. This led, for instance, to the commissioned work "Die Nachtigall und die Rose" (The Nightingale and the Rose), an audio play for the stage for two actors and chamber ensemble, freely adapted from Oscar Wilde (Music K. Ospald, Libretto F. Apke), the project "Blasmusik" (brass music) with the trumpeter Hans Gansch or a stage version of the novel Chronicler of the Winds by Henning Mankell for three actors and four musicians with the children's theatre Mummpitz.

In collaboration with the puppet theatre Thalias Kompagnons, the countertenor Daniel Gloger and the Tafelhalle Nürnberg "Die Zauberflöte - eine Prüfung" emerged. With this unique, wry and exciting version of the Magic Flute by Mozart for two puppet artists, a countertenor and eight musicians eK has achieved success throughout Europe, equally celebrated by audience and press. The production was represented among others at the Vienna Festival with five performances and for the coming year has received invitations to France, Croatia, Denmark, Switzerland and Japan.