Biography:
Founded in 1980 Contrechamps set has set itself the task of performing the music of the 20th and 21st centuries and promoting the creation of new works. Numerous world premieres and first performances are included in his Geneva season. His repertoire includes chamber music up to a cast of about 30 musicians. The ensemble also offers numerous educational activities for school classes: workshops, concerts in schools and commented dress rehearsals, as well as concerts together with children. The Ensemble Contrechamps has commissioned and premiered numerous works and recorded more than 20 CDs. Brice Pauset has been the artistic director of the ensemble since January 2013.
The Ensemble Contrechamps works with numerous composers (including George Benjamin, Pierre Boulez, Unsuk Chin, Hugues Dufourt, Beat Furrer, Brian Ferneyhough, Stefano Gervasoni, Jonathan Harvey, Heinz Holliger, Michael Jarrell, György Kurtág, Helmut Lachenmann, Tristan Murail, Brice Pauset, Matthias Pintscher and Rebecca Saunders), with conductors such as Stefan Asbury, Jean Deroyer, Jurjen Hempel, Jürg Henneberger, Peter Hirsch, Clement Power, Pascal Rophé and Peter Rundel as well as international soloists such as Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Teodoro Anzellotti and Luisa Castellani , Hedwig Fassbender, Isabelle Faust, Rosemary Hardy, Nicolas Hodges, Salome Kammer, Robert Koller, Donatienne Michel-Dansac, Christoph Prégardien, Yeree Suh, and Kai Wessel.
The Ensemble Contrechamps is a guest at festivals such as: Musica in Strasbourg, Festival d'Automne in Paris, Bludenz Days of Contemporary Music, Voix nouvelles in Royaumont, Ars Musica in Brussels, musicadhoy in Madrid, Witten Days for New Chamber Music, Salzburg Festival, Venice Biennale , Wien Modern, deSingel in Antwerp, Berliner Festspiele MärzMusik, Days for New Music in Zurich and Lucerne Festival. In Geneva, the ensemble works regularly with the Center for Computer Science and Electroacoustics of the Geneva Conservatory, the Eklekto Percussion Center, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Théâtre du Galpon, the Théâtre Am Stram Gram and the Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theater. The Ensemble Contrechamps is supported by the City of Geneva and the Canton of Geneva.
Albums:
Salzburg Biennale – Festival for New Music 2009:
