© Divertimento Ensemble

During the fall 2015 Divertimento Ensemble and Sentieri Selvaggi premiered their scores and offered a unique insight into contemporary music from all over the world.
On 20th April 2016 Divertimento Ensemble performs again one of the scores, in a concert program that also presents works from the International Meeting for young composers “Franco Donatoni”.

The concert takes place in Teatro Litta, Milan (IT), with the following schedule and program:

20h30  pre-concert talk

with Federico Gardella, Giovanni Bertelli, Stefano Bulfon and three selected composers among the candidates of the International Meeting for young composers “Franco Donatoni”

21H00  concert

3 works selected from the International Meeting for young composers “Franco Donatoni”
Federico Gardella (1979) Improvvisi silenzi di conchiglia  per ensemble (2016) – (World Premiere)
Franco Donatoni (1927-2000) Flag per ensemble (1987)
Giovanni Bertelli (1980) Libro d’estate per viola e 12 strumenti (2008)
Stefano Bulfon (1975) Nachleben * per ensemble (2015)

Divertimento Ensemble
Michele Gamba, conductor

* score selected from Feeding Music Italian Pavilion, Expo 2015

© Divertimento Ensemble

During the fall 2015 Divertimento Ensemble and Sentieri Selvaggi premiered their scores and offered a unique insight into contemporary music from all over the world.
On 5th February 2016 Divertimento Ensemble performs again two of these scores, chosen from the most representative of the diverse ways of thinking contemporary music today.

The concert takes place in Teatro Litta, Milan (IT), with the following schedule and program:

20h30  pre-concert talk

moderated by Anna Maria Morazzoni with Luca Francesconi, Michael Cutting, Claudio Ambrosini, Antonio Covello

21H00  concert

Michael Cutting (1987), In Fields and Factories * for ensemble (2015)
Antonin Servière (1977), Procrastinations * for ensemble (2015)

Olga Neuwirth (1968), Incidendo/fluido for piano and CD (2000)

Antonio Covello (1985), L’ange du morbide for ensemble (2015)

Luca Francesconi (1956), Insieme for ensemble (2014)

Claudio Ambrosini (1948), Vite di suoni illustri for ensemble (2012)

Maria Grazia Bellocchio, piano

Divertimento Ensemble

Sandro Gorli, conductor

The project is inspired by the book “An Experiment with Time”, by John William Dunne: linearity of time is a collateral event of consciousness, whereas, inside dreams, past and future coexist.

© Daniele Ghisi

During the year 2015, Daniele Ghisi has presented the video installation several times, in different European cities (more information here).

On 26th January 2016, at Teatro Litta in Milano (IT) took place the world premiere of the live and concert version of the projet, including the videos and electronics.

The concert was performed by Divertimento Ensemble at 21h00.

With a pre-concert talk and meeting with Daniele Ghisi at 20h30.

© Giovanni Daniotti

Another presentation of the live-version is scheduled in Paris, at Centre Pompidou, on 5th March 2016.

+++

Commission:

Divertimento Ensemble and Ircam-Centre Pompidou

Coproduction:

IRCAM-Centre Pompidou, Paris, France / Divertimento Ensemble, Milano, Italy

© Daniele Ghisi

On 5th March 2016, the concert will be presented again in Paris (FR), at IRCAM-Centre Pompidou at 19h30, performed by Divertimento Ensemble, conducted by Sandro Gorli, in a program presenting also pieces by Gérard Grisey and Raphaël Cendo.

Tickets available here.

• Daniele Ghisi An Experiment With Time (reloaded),
  commissioned by IRCAM-Centre Pompidou and the Divertimento Ensemble, French Premiere

Composition, Sound Installation, Video and Animation Daniele Ghisi
Inspired by the eponymous book by John W. Dunne
Script Daniele Ghisi, Luigi Acerbi, Paolo Puggioni
Script Assistant Maryam Babaei
Video Assistant Luca Morino
Graphic Advisor Davide Bordogna
Visuals drawn by Luca Nava
Divertimento Ensemble
Conductor Sandro Gorli
IRCAM Sound engineer Sylvain Cadars
IRCAM Computer Music Design Manuel Poletti
Photo credits Miroslav Barták, From Old Books, Karl Jahnke
Copies of the Illustrated London News shoLondon News/Mary Evans Picture Library
Audio credits Tebblofang, empraetorius, HollowRiku, lucaslara, nebulousflynn, exterminat, Omar Alvarado, RutgerMuller, Runey, SunnySideSound
Additional thanks to Mattia Bergomi, Sylvain Cadars, Aaron Einbond, Carla Felotti, Maria Giulia Ganassini, Boris Labbé, Virgilio Maffeis and family, Yann Philippe, Andrea Rota, Christopher Trapani, Paul Slocum and Vincenzo Picariello

The project is inspired by the book “An Experiment with Time”, by John William Dunne: linearity of time is a collateral event of consciousness, whereas, inside dreams, past and future coexist.

Watch the video-trailer for his project:

© Daniele Ghisi

The video setup is made of three juxtaposed screens. The central screen represents the writing of the main character’s diary, and will be a journey across its reflexions and thoughts, spanning one full year, and looping seamlessly at the end. The other screens (only active in some specific sections of the video) suggest the presence of two “aliases” experiencing different temporalities (the left one looping through a single day, and the right one living a complete life).

The installation is a 46min – loop consisting of video and electronic music.

© Daniele Ghisi

Daniele Ghisi comments on his project:

“An Experiment with Time” is probably the biggest artistic challenge I have faced up to now, both for its duration and for the effort it involved – as I am writing this note, I am still finishing working on the score for its live version.

It is, at present, the project about which I am most passionate: this is why I am extremely grateful to the Ulysses network and to the partners that have made this possible (first of all Ircam and Divertimento Ensemble). I am also extremely glad I had the chance to share this passion with many participants (first of all Luigi Acerbi and Paolo Puggioni) and with other festivals which have so kindly shown their interested in it.

Somehow, “An Experiment with Time” represents my widest attempt to think project-wise instead of piece-wise – and I find this line of thinking quite important, especially for contemporary music.”

Project Tour Calendar

(you can find photos from the tour below)

June 2nd + 3rd 2015, Maison de la Poésie, IRCAM ManiFeste-2015, Paris (FR) – installation/ video and electronics
17h30 – 19h15

September 13th – 18th 2015, Progetti Arte Contemporanea, Piazza delle Murate, Florence (IT), FLAME festival –
installation/ video and electronics

September 18th 2015, KLAPEIDA Concert Hall – Klapeida (LT) –
installation/ video and electronics

December 12th + 13th 2015, Teatro Litta, Corso Magenta – Milano (IT) –
installation/ video and electronics:
12th December : opening at 17h00.  Showings at 18h00, 18h45, 19h30, 20h15, 21h00, 21h45.
13th December : showings at 11h00, 11h45 12h30, 13h15, 14h00, 1445, 15h30, 16h15, 17h00

January 26th 2016, Teatro Litta, Corso Magenta – Milano (IT) –
20h30 – live version/ video and electronics + Divertimento Ensemble – World Premiere

March 5th 2016, Centre Pompidou – Paris (FR) –
20h30 – live version/ video and electronics + Divertimento Ensemble – French Premiere

Photos from the tour

Paris – Installation June 2015 (FR)

© Daniele Ghisi

Florence – Installation September 2015 (IT)

© Zeno Cavallari

Klapeida – Installation September (LT)

© Daniele Ghisi

Milano – Installation December 2015 (IT)

© Divertimento Ensemble

© Giovanni Daniotti

Milano – World Premiere Live version for ensemble and electronics January 2016 (IT)

© Giovanni Daniotti

+++

Artistic credits:

Daniele Ghisi, composition, video, computer-music design

Divertimento Ensemble

Yann Philippe, IRCAM video manager
Sylvain Cadars, IRCAM sound engineer

Commission:

Divertimento Ensemble and Ircam-Centre Pompidou

Coproduction:

IRCAM-Centre Pompidou, Paris, France / Divertimento Ensemble, Milano, Italy (live version)

Coréalisation Maison de la Poésie, Paris, France

In February 2015, the German composer Benjamin Scheuer (1987) was invited to impuls festival and academy 2015 in Graz (AT),  also in the framework of ULYSSES Network’s composers exchange with OPUS XXI/ HfMT.

At this occasion, Benjamin Scheuer received a commission for a new work, he presented his work in a public talk on 17th February 2015 at the KUG in Graz (AT) and several of his works were presented to the international audience:

° Benjamin Scheuer –  Impulsive Lieder for sampler, alto flute, tenor saxophone and accordion (2015), 6´, World Premiere (commission: impuls)
Performed by
Dominik Matzka – sampler | Delphine Grataloup – alto flute
Pedro Pablo Camara Toldos – tenor saxophone | Vid Sčavničar accordion
Andreas Fischer conductor

23rd February 2015, 20.00,  MUMUTH . Proberaum

° Benjamin Scheuer – kaleidoscope for 4 female voices with additional instruments (2012), 10´
Peyee Chen – soprano | Noriko Yakushiji – soprano | Alice Fagard – mezzosoprano | Megan Ihnen – mezzosoprano
Andreas Fischer conductor

23rd February 2015, 21.15,  MUMUTH . Proberaum

More information about the whole concert program here.

But Benjamin Scheuer has already a longer history with the ULYSSES Network :

++ 2014 ++

# In 2014, he was one of the Gaudeamus Prize nominees, and his piece Kaleidoscope was already presented, among other works, in Utrecht (NL) during the festival Gaudeamus Muziekweek, including also a public talk and encounter with the young composer.

You can discover a short video produced by Gaudeamus Muziekweek here.

Other interviews with the composer can be found on his website or here.

++ 2013 ++

# Before that, Benjamin was invited also by OPUS XXI/ HfMT (DE) to the international Summer Academy OPUS XXI in 2013 where he received a commission for a new work.

# Also in 2013, Benjamin Scheuer was one of the selected composers to take part in the IEMA Composition Workshop 2013, presenting the premiere of his commissioned work with pieces by the three other selected composers at Royaumont Foundation (FR) before other concerts on tour in the Netherlands (Gaudeamus Muziekweek) and Germany.

++ 2012 ++

# Already in 2012, Benjamin participated in the Composition Session for contemporary music “Voix nouvelles”, organized at Royaumont Foundation (FR).

Under the guidance of the guest composers Brian Ferneyhough, Alberto Posadas and Raphaël Cendo and in direct cooperation with the singers from “Atelier vocal de Royaumont”, this is where he finalized and premiered on 22nd September 2012 the piece kaleidoscope for four female singers.

Atelier vocal de Royaumont
Angèle Chemin, Betsabée Haas, Julia Sese Lara – sopranos
Mari Sano – mezzo-soprano

© Anna van Kooij

Indeed, Hikari Kiyama is already well-known for the followers of the ULYSSES Network :

# In 2014, he has been one of the Gaudeamus Prize nominees (already in 2012 one of his works for string quartet was performed during Gaudeamus Muziekweek)
and got the chance to present several of his works :

°Myojin
performed on 13 September 2014 at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
by Ensemble Klang extended.
You can listen to a recording here.

°Sax Quartet
performed on 11 September 2014 at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
by Amstel Quartet.
You can listen to a recording here.

° “????”
performed on 14 September 2014 at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht (NL)
by Ensemble Looptail
(work in progress, different versions have been presented already in Graz (AT), Darmstadt (DE) etc.).
Looptail published a short video with excerpts of the piece here.

You can also find a short video interview with Hikari here.

Concert Electrifying Evening, Gaudeamus Muzikweek 2014 © Anna van Kooij

© Ensemble Looptail

# And earlier in 2014, a piece by Hikari Kiyama, was performed and presented to an international audience, during the Summercourses in Darmstadt/ IMD (DE), in the framework of the residence of the young Swedish ensemble Curious Chamber Players.

© Deen van de Meer

At this occasion, Benjamin Scheuer received a commission for a new work, he presented his work in a public talk on 17th February 2015 at the KUG in Graz (AT) and several of his works were presented to the international audience:

° Benjamin Scheuer –  Impulsive Lieder for sampler, alto flute, tenor saxophone and accordion (2015), 6´, World Premiere (commission: impuls)

Performed by
Dominik Matzka – sampler | Delphine Grataloup – alto flute
Pedro Pablo Camara Toldos – tenor saxophone | Vid Sčavničar accordion
Andreas Fischer conductor

23rd February 2015, 20.00,  MUMUTH . Proberaum

° Benjamin Scheuer – kaleidoscope for 4 female voices with additional instruments (2012), 10´
Peyee Chen – soprano | Noriko Yakushiji – soprano | Alice Fagard – mezzosoprano | Megan Ihnen – mezzosoprano
Andreas Fischer conductor

23rd February 2015, 21.15,  MUMUTH . Proberaum

More information about the whole concert program here.

In addition to that and within the cooperation of impuls and the Ernst Krenek Institute Benjamin Scheuer was also selected amongst the impuls Academy 2015 to write a new piece to be premiered by Klangforum Wien.
Besides this commission Benjamin Scheuer will also be invited to a
three-week visit at the Institute in Krems for depth study of composer Ernst
Krenek.

But Benjamin Scheuer has already a longer history with the ULYSSES Network :

++ 2014 ++

# In 2014, he was one of the Gaudeamus Prize nominees, and his piece Kaleidoscope was already presented, among other works, in Utrecht (NL) during the festival Gaudeamus Muziekweek, including also a public talk and encounter with the young composer.

You can discover a short video produced by Gaudeamus Muziekweek here.

Other interviews with the composer can be found on his website or here.

++ 2013 ++

# Before that, Benjamin was invited also by OPUS XXI/ HfMT (DE) to the international Summer Academy OPUS XXI in 2013 where he received a commission for a new work.

# Also in 2013, Benjamin Scheuer was one of the selected composers to take part in the IEMA Composition Workshop 2013, presenting the premiere of his commissioned work with pieces by the three other selected composers at Royaumont Foundation (FR) before other concerts on tour in the Netherlands (Gaudeamus Muziekweek) and Germany.

++ 2012 ++

# Already in 2012, Benjamin participated in the Composition Session for contemporary music “Voix nouvelles”, organized at Royaumont Foundation (FR).

Under the guidance of the guest composers Brian Ferneyhough, Alberto Posadas and Raphaël Cendo and in direct cooperation with the singers from “Atelier vocal de Royaumont”, this is where he finalized and premiered on 22nd September 2012 the piece kaleidoscope for four female singers.

Atelier vocal de Royaumont
Angèle Chemin, Betsabée Haas, Julia Sese Lara – sopranos
Mari Sano – mezzo-soprano

The Disklavier PLUS project started in March 2013 with a two day workshop at Utrecht Muziekhuis where the selected composers presented their first ideas or drafts.

Young composers were commissioned to write for Disklavier and live electronics.

After the above mentioned workshop in spring 2013, the premieres of three pieces (Ville Raasakka, Vito Zuraj and Ji Youn Kang) had been presented in September 2013 at the Gaudeamus Muziekweek (NL), and further performances took place in Vitasaari (FI) and in Darmstadt (DE) in Summer 2014.

The three pieces will be presented again at Royaumont Foundation (FR)

21st June 2015, 16h30

Ji Youn Kang (KR) – Machi-Nory

for Disklavier and live-electronics, French Premiere
Vito Žuraj (SL) – Matrix

for Disklavier and live-electronics, French Premiere
Ville Raasakka (FI) – White as winter’s threads

for Disklavier and live-electronics, French Premiere

This project also receives support from

Yamaha Music Europe

© A. Poupeney

Led by conductor Sigvards Klava the April 26^th concert features a new work by Latvian composer Jekabs Nimanis in the following program:

HARVEY Jonathan – Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco, electronics

DI LASSO Orlando – Sibylline Prophecies (extracts), choir

TÜÜR Erkki Sven – Meditatio

DI LASSO Orlando – Omnia tempus Habent, choir and saxophone quartet

—

NIMANIS Jekabs – Premiere of commission, choir, soprano- , alto- , tenor- , baritone saxophones and Tuba in E-flat

BACH Johann Sebastian – Motet ‘O Jesu Meine Freude’, choir and saxophone quartet

The commissioned work, “Das Selige Stillschweigen” (15’), will be written for a 25-voice choir and saxophone quintet. In keeping with the “darkness to light” theme, the hall will go from complete darkness to light over the duration of the piece and the singers will be spread across the hall (and around the audience), while the saxophone quintet remains on stage.

PREMIERE

April 26^th 2015, 20h15

flagey, Brussels (BE)

A Rerun-Concert of the piece by Jekabs Nimanis is scheduled in Rēzekne (LV) on 5th February 2016.

More information soon on the website of GORS concert hall.