How contemporary is music in the 21st century, if it continues to be so eurocentric? in a cooperation with the Goethe-institut, the ensemble recherche invited composers from developing countries to an artistic exchange. With young composers from Colombia, Iran, Ukraine, Argentina, Taiwan, Korea and Germany, we present plural perspectives.

Filipino composer AJ Villanueva is fellow of the project. He reflects:

Contemporary music in the Philippines is centered around academic institutions that study western classical music. The lack of public knowledge and interest of contemporary music in the Philippines has limited the performance, funding, even its study in other higher institutions of learning. With this, it is an objective to further the performance of contemporary music through composition with local performances and performers in mind which is always a great opportunity. On the other hand, performances outside the Philippines are opportunities to work with musicians, opening exchanges in musical and cultural knowledge. My collaboration with Ensemble Recherche allowed for exchanges in musical and technical possibilities, as well as an exploration of divergences in culture not only with the musicians but with co-composer fellows who are part of the “Postcolonial Recherche” program. As a Filipino composer of contemporary music, I continuously explore and question my Filipino tradition as I use a language that is Western in origin, as well as exploring post-modernity in contemporary music while looking back at my historical roots as a Filipino. The “Postcolonial Recherche” program is indeed a pathway into formulating more questions and ideas while discovering musical possibilities of those ideas in an exciting collaboration with Ensemble Recherche.

With premieres of works by 
Patricia Martínez, Camilo Mendez, Rojin Monibi, Adrian Mocanu, Joey Tan, So-Jeong Yoo, Doyoon Yoon und Elisabeth Fußeder

ENSEMBLE RECHERCHE
Lisa Meignin, flute (as a guest)
Eduardo Olloqui, oboe
Shizuyo Oka, clarinet
Klaus Steffes-Holländer, piano
Christian Dierstein, percussion
Melise Mellinger, violin
Sofia von Atzingen, viola
Åsa Åkerberg, cello

Bongani Ndodana-Breen, curator

Supported by the BKM within the framework of Neustart Kultur, Alfred Töpfer Stiftung.

In cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, Deutschlandfunk

Broadcast date: 05.11.2022, 22:05, Deutschlandfunk