When contemporary classical music reveals its secrets.
Founded in 1989 by conductor Daniel Kawka, the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain was one of the first independent French ensembles dedicated to contemporary music. The Ensemble is renowned for being a key interpreter of 20th and 21st century music and an important player in musical creation. Composers of all generations have placed their trust in us.
The EOC is an instrumental ensemble home to around 15 musicians who may also play a solo role. Bruno Mantovani is at the helm of the ensemble, as artistic director and principal conductor.
Faced with the Covid-19 health crisis and the cancellation of public performances, creating an alternative way of sharing musical content is absolutely essential. To keep bringing modernist masterpieces to life, the EOC has launched a video series inspired by its concert aperitifs. Popular amongst Loire locals, these convivial events are usually the opportunity to bring together faithful followers and curious minds of all ages, and to discover a short piece from the repertoire with an accompanying commentary.
This new series directed by Adrien Rivollier is called Clés d’écoute. It invites us to explore more than a century of music, freedom and innovation. As part of this new, intimate format, Bruno Mantovani offers his interpretation of musical works from the 20th and 21st centuries, performed under his baton by the Ensemble’s musicians.
The first season of Clés d’écoute was filmed at the Maison de la Culture – Le Corbusier de Firminy, and by March 2021 it will feature around 15 different episodes. After a four-part study of Octandre by Edgar Varèse, the spotlight will next be shone on Arnold Schoenberg’s Opus 16. Two new works dedicated to young talent will be filmed on 25th and 27th January at the Théatre de la Renaissance in Oullins. Further film shoots are already on the cards, as the EOC plans to make this new format a permanent feature in future music seasons to come.
The show can be found on YouTube as well as on the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain’s social media. A new episode is available online every Wednesday at noon.
Website eoc.fr