musikFabrik

“What could a musikFabrik (music factory) be?” When asked this question, a young child answered, “That’s where they create music that hasn’t been made yet.” Ensemble musikFabrik has been commissioning new works and performing unknown music since 1991. The Cologne-based soloist ensemble plays more than 100 international concerts each year, and has built a close association with prominent conductors and composers. musikFabrik visits us after a Fromm Foundation residency at Harvard University, where they will collaborate with Harvard’s PhD composition students in performing their latest works. The ensemble will select two pieces from the Harvard premiere to perform, providing a unique opportunity to listen in on what these young composers currently are up to. Setting the context for these new pieces are John Cage’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra; Interference by British composer Richard Barrett, a piece for contrabass clarinet and kick-drum; and the colorful chamber music piece Paramirabo by Canadian composer Claude Vivier.