The ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble, New York) and the French new-music group Ensemble Itinéraire come together for this French-American concert. Gérard Grisey is one of the most influential composers of the second half of the 20th century. Pioneer of spectral music, he discovered a new way of composition in-between science and music, where the matter of sound is built upon its physical reality, which will become an example for many composers around the world. Christopher Trapani and Ashley Fure, two young American composers, drew their inspiration from two emblematic pieces composed by Gérard Grisey, "Partiels" et "Périodes". The core of the program is the way in which this younger generation of American composers looks at the legacy of spectral music.
Learn more here (in French only): Spectral Streams

The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), described by the New York Times as "one of the most accomplished and adventurous groups in new music", is dedicated to reshaping the way music is created and experienced. With a modular makeup of 35 leading instrumentalists, performing in forces ranging from solos to large ensembles, ICE functions as performer, presenter, and educator, advancing the music of our time by developing innovative new works and new strategies for audience engagement. ICE redefines concert music as it brings together new work and new listeners in the 21st century.Since its founding in 2001, ICE has premiered over 500 compositions - the majority of these new works by emerging composers - in venues spanning from alternative spaces to concert halls around the world.

ICE has released acclaimed albums on the Nonesuch, Kairos, Bridge, Naxos, Tzadik, New Focus, New Amsterdam and Mode labels. Recent and upcoming highlights include headline performances at the Lincoln Center Festival (New York), Aspekte (Austria), Acht Brücken Music for Cologne (Germany), Festival de Música de Morelia (Mexico), Teatro Amazonas (Brazil), and performances with the Nagoya Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony. ICE has worked closely with conductors Ludovic Morlot, Matthias Pintscher, John Adams and Susanna Mälkki.  Since 2012, conductor and percussion soloist Steven Schick has served as ICE's Artist-in-Residence. In 2011, with leading support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, ICE created the ICElab program to place teams of ICE musicians in close collaboration with six emerging composers each year to develop works that push the boundaries of musical exploration. (…) ICE's commitment to build a diverse, engaged audience for the music of our time inspired The Listening Room, an educational initiative for public schools without in-house arts curricula. Using team-based composition and graphic notation, ICE musicians lead students in the creation of new musical works, nurturing collaborative creative skills and building an appreciation for musical experimentation.

More info: www.iceorg.org

The Ensemble ICE was in residency at the Camargo Foundation from May 16 to 20, 2017 and May 12 to May 19, 2018 in partnership with gmem-CNCM-marseille.