Pintscher to perform with Ensemble Intercontemporain

Ensemble Intercontemporain / Courtesy of Lotte Concert Hall

Ballerina Alessandra Ferri speaks during a press conference for the Universal Ballet Company’s “Romeo and Juliet” at the Universal Arts Center in eastern Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Yun Suh-young

French contemporary music group Ensemble Intercontemporain, founded by Pierre Boulez, will perform in Seoul for the first time next week.

Boulez, one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, established Ensemble Intercontemporain in 1976 with the support of the French government at the time. Ensemble Intercontemporain is the first permanent organization of its kind with 31 soloists dedicated to promoting and performing contemporary chamber music. The ensemble is resident at the Philharmonie de Paris.

The music group inherits the traditions of the contemporary music genre along with other groups such as Ensemble Modern (France), London Sinfonietta (U.K.) and Klangforum Wien (Austria).

An affiliate group of IRCAM, a contemporary music institute located in the Centre Pompidou, Ensemble Intercontemporain focuses on research and creation of 20th and 21st century music as well as on its performance and education. It also carries out projects merging its music with dance, theater, video and visual arts. It participates in international contemporary music festivals such as Switzerland's Lucerne Festival, France's Aix-en-Province Festival and Austria's Vienna Festival.

It has introduced different types of contemporary music through labels such as Sony, Erato and Deutsche Grammophon. The ensemble has also received honors such as the Gramophone Award, Edison Award, Grammy Award and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. The 2015 album conducted by Matthias Pintscher was selected as album of the month by the Gramophone Awards.

For the concert on Oct. 26 at the Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul, pieces by Boulez, Ligeti, Varese, Matthias Pintscher and Unsuk Chin will be performed. It will also be an opportunity to hear the premiere of the song "Memoriale" which Boulez composed for the group before passing away earlier this year.

Conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher who has led the group since 2013 has worked with numerous world-renowned orchestras including Berlin Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Prague Philharmonia and serves as a professor at the Juilliard School.

Visit lotteconcerthall.com for more information on the concert.