Tradition of Curiosity
For the past three decades ensemble KONTRASTE (eK) has been an important fixture in Nuremberg’s cultural landscape.
The City of Nuremberg acknowledged this achievement in 2020 by awarding ensemble KONTRASTE its Major Cultural Prize; an achievement which we are particularly proud of, and one which inspires us to carry on, more determined than ever! Which is exactly how we celebrated our 30th anniversary last season!
During our anniversary season we were forces to contend with Corona-related restrictions und unexpected complications, but fortunately we were able to realise all our plans. In the coming season, we will again be presenting an attractive mixture of the tried and tested, the unknown, the daring and the provocative overflowing with extraordinary moments; regardless of the setting - chamber or large ensemble, whether classical or contemporary music, on our own or in combination with theatre, video, the visual arts, film or literature. Our clever, quirky and ingenious programs aim to make eK events an experience for both the musicians and audience alike.
As always, the backbone of eK’s program is the concert series KONTRASTE – Classic in the Tafelhalle which presents innovative concepts across the entire ‘classical’ genre. Many of our subscribers also appreciate myriad of other events including staged productions, silent movies with live orchestra, video-productions, family concerts and last but not least our beloved ‘Poetry and Prose’ events, where music and literature go hand in hand.
In our 2022/23 season, our collaborations with a diverse artistic network of composers, conductors, directors, singers and actors will continue to play a vital role as we strive to bring our motto “Longing” to life!
With our four concerts we will embark on a musical journey starting in Hungary before travelling to Great Britain, in a particularly colourful New Year's Eve Concert, followed by an exciting excursion to Tyrol in Austria before arriving at our final destination in 20th-century France.
In our Poetry and Prose events you will be swept away by Cervantes to 17th-century Spain, travel with Goethe to his most desired country – Italy – and make it around the world with Jules Verne!
This season our silent film concert takes us to the Swiss Alps in Arnold Fanck's “Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü”, set to new music by Stefan Hippe!
In our Video-Art Concert The Musical Sacrifice, Christoph Brech's fantastic images merge with the music of the great Thomaskantor Bach.
If ever there was an opera that truly embodies romantic longing, it has to be Der Freischütz. Our very successful original adaptation returns again this season.
At our Concert for Young Audiences, Tristan Vogt will take you into the world of Pu the Bear, accompanied by the original and funny music of Erik Satie.
Ensemble KONTRASTE prides itself on approaching both the old and new with respectful enthusiasm. Our passion however, to endorse new and contemporary music has led to a number of world premieres through collaborative efforts with composers such as Heinz Winbeck, Martin Smolka, Klaus Ospald, Michael Obst, András Hamary, Leo Dick, Marcus Maria Reißenberger, Manfred Knaak and Gene Pritsker and Stefan Hippe.
Ensemble KONTRASTE is proud to acknowledge the generosity of our financial supporters, including the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, the German-Czech Fund for the Future, the Bavarian Music Fund, the Bavarian Cultural Fund, the Sparkasse Nuremberg’s ‘Foundations for the Future’, the Fund for Performing Arts, and the German Music Council. Additional funding is provided by the State of Bavaria, the region of Middle Franconia and the City of Nuremberg, who include eK in their yearly budget.
The Ensemble’s success has been readily acknowledged through numerous awards, including the Wolfram-von-Eschenbach Cultural Grant (1999, 2015), the City of Nuremberg Cultural Support Grant (2004), the Friedrich Baur Award from the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts (2007), the E.ON Bayern AG Cultural Grant (2010) and the City of Nuremberg Major Cultural Prize (2020)
In addition to its concert series in Nuremberg, eK has also performed in a number of major European cities including Luxemburg (Philharmonie), Vienna (Konzerthaus), Paris (Louvre-Museum), Berlin (Volksbühne), Athens (Concert Hall), and Lisbon (National Theater). Ensemble KONTRASTE has also received invitations to participate at the Vienna Festival, the Schwetzinger Festival, the Chopin-Festival in Warsaw, the Berlinale, the Salzburg Festival, the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Music Festival Nara in Japan and the Gavroche Festival in Moscow.
Our most prominent media partners include the Bayerischer Rundfunk and ZDF/Arte.
Additional information about us is available through our management:
Eckhard Kierski
Hagenhausener Straße 13
90518 Altdorf
+49 9187 2229
+49 172 3832191
eckhardkierski@ensemblekontraste.de