Charles Ives Project

Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Berlin, Germany

In 2012 the Charles Ives Project of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (MCO) is set to open the Berlin Music Festival under the baton of Kent Nagano and with baritone Thomas Hampson. Featuring a special program at the 2012 music festival focalizing American music to mark John Cage’s 100th birthday, Ives’ creative achievements will be presented and reflected in contemporary arrangements. After this another concert will be held at the RuhrTriennale in Bochum. The program will consist of a number of different, rarely performed works by Charles Ives. In the tradition of John Adams who already arranged “Five Songs” two further composition commissions have been issued with the support of the  Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Georg Friedrich Haas, Austria, and Toshio Hosokawa, Japan, are to arrange 4–5 songs from Ives’ “114 Songs” for orchestra. Haas and Hosokawa display particular interest in Charles Ives’ work and wish to design a European/Asian counterpoint to Adams’ “Five Songs” with their new compositions.

August 31st 2012 
Philharmonie Berlin

September 1st 2012 
Jahrhunderthalle Bochum

Further Information:
www.mahler-chamber.eu