CEME International New Music Festival

Meitar Ensemble, Tel Aviv, Israel


The Meitar Ensemble, founded in 2004 by artistic director and pianist Amit Dolberg, has established itself as one of the leading performers of Contemporary Music within and beyond Israel’s borders. Over the new year period 2019/20, the chamber ensemble is organising an international festival for New Music, CEME, for the ninth time. Through a public, multi-faceted concert programme, and masterclasses and workshops led by prominent figures offered as part of an event over several days, the festival has become one of the leading events within Israel’s cultural scene. Young composers will have a platform for their works and the chance to make contact with the profession and be given the space to extend their capabilities. For 2020, Helmut Lachenmann – one of the leading composers of our time – has been invited to work with 30 selected students. Likewise, Philippe Leroux has been invited as composer-in-residence for the ensemble to provide tutor sessions as well as workshops with multiple attendees. The student composers will be asked to provide a short piece for a solo instrument or chamber ensemble that will be studied by the members of the Meitar Ensemble as well as the SaVaSa Brass Trio. As such, there will be the unique opportunity for composers to study their own work in a lively process in conjunction with experienced musicians – with particular focus on the intense cooperation between the composer and the musicians. In subsequent workshops, members of the Meitar Ensemble, the conductor-in-residence Pierre-André Valade and members of the Trio SaVaSa Brass (as formed of players from Ensemble Modern) will provide insights to interested musicians. The final concert on 4^th January in Tel Aviv will contain the Israeli premiere of Helmut Lachenmann’s Mouvement (1982/84) for extended ensemble. For this, the Meitar Ensemble has collaborated with the SaVaSa Brass Trio, members of the Tedarim Project and other prominent musicians from Israel. Furthermore, De la texture, one of Philippe Leroux’s most important works, will be performed by the Meitar Ensemble. Both composers will provide commentary on their works as part of the concert programme.


December 28, 2019
Auditorium, The Center for New Music, Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv, Israel

January 1, 2020
The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Israel

January 2, 2020
Ran Baron Hall, The Center for New Music, Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv, Israel

January 4, 2020
Auditorium, The Center for New Music, Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv, Israel


Further information:
meitar.net