Some quotes are so powerful that they take on a life of their own and develop an almost mythical aura. »Happy New Ears« is one of them. John Cage coined it in an essay in which he challenged the listener when hearing a work not to rule out the influences of the senses: a manifesto about the liveliness and changeability of all art, an appeal for courage when sharing a unique experience.
A perfect quote for this series of events, which began in 1993, given by the Ensemble Modern at Oper Frankfurt. In these workshop concerts – four every season – living composers present their works, talk about how they came into being, composition techniques and how they are to be performed: a deep look at the diverse world of contemporary music, which mirrors the diversity or our times.
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The Ensemble Modern was formed in 1980 and is established worldwide as one of the leading ensembles specialising in new music. The unique way in which they are organised and work and their distinctive range of methods in performing chamber music, orchestral concerts and opera, distinguish this ensemble from all others. They work closely with composers and perform, on average, 70 new works a year, including c. 20 world premieres. The ensemble performs around 100 concerts a year at important festivals and concert halls from Oslo to Rome, in Japan and the USA. In 2003 Germany’s Kulturstiftung declared that the Ensemble was a »Lighthouse« for contemporary music in Germany.