New Songs from Europe (17)

Their primary goal is to perform current vocal music from the field of contemporary music and, in doing so, to provide new impetus for the genre’s further development.

The programs feature vocal works in a wide variety of styles from the realm of contemporary music: ranging from lighthearted musical theater to contemplative pieces to more challenging works, and from sound-poetic experiments to settings of poetry to wordplay, they open up a broad spectrum of possible musical and linguistic forms of expression.

Staged performances, improvisation, interdisciplinary works, theatrical elements, and electronic music are also among the popular highlights. A large part of the program consists of numerous world premieres of works written specifically for the duo, resulting from an intensive collaboration with composers from various European countries (including Romania, Albania, Azerbaijan, Poland, Austria, Germany, France, England, and Switzerland), thereby presenting an exciting overview of diverse approaches to contemporary composition for discussion. Thus, the program—performed with great enthusiasm—is at the very heart of current artistic creation.

A traveling festival featuring world premieres

• Christine Simolka, soprano
• René Wohlhauser, baritone & piano

Press reviews: “… compositions that are technically very difficult to perform, … which both singers … mastered superbly and flawlessly. Many contemporary composers dedicated their works to this perfect vocal duo.” Badisches Tagblatt, Baden-Baden, November 9, 2016