Do you want the chance to be able to say you met the next Stravinsky or attended the premiere of a groundbreaking piece of music? Because the Pulsar Festival is back between March 7 and 14, and once again we can look forward to the premieres of work by aspiring composers.
Organised by the Royal Danish Academy of Music, up-and-coming composers, after years of hard work and a rigorous selection process, are given the opportunity to present their work for the first time.
Attend because it could be interesting to hear new sounds and unknown rhythms – don’t necessarily expect harmony. As an added bonus, all the concerts are free of charge.
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Gæstespil: Storstrøms Kammerensemble
Eva Rotenberg is inspired by glass, metal and wood, and the result may be heard in her Glass, metal and wood piece from 2011. Erik Højsgaard found inspiration to compose Udstillingsbillede from Danish symbolist painter LA Ring’s painting ‘Folk som går fra kirke, Mogenstrup’. So lessons in how wood sounds or how a Danish symbolist painter translates into music is on the menu this Tuesday evening. Other pieces include: Kristian Rymkier’s Sous forme de points (premiere), Martin Stauning’s Un Vuoto di Nulla (premiere) and Søren Nils Eichberg’s Bridges and Paths.
Studiescenen, Rosenørns Allé 22, Frederiksberg; March 12, 19:30
Chamber music concert 1-2-4
Can rocks breathe? Composer Martin Stauning poses this question in Atmende Steine. Meanwhile, China’s Tan Tuan Hao has doubts in his Doubts and Gunnar Masson encourages the audience to lust after the strange sounds they hear in his piece Duplex. Attend because it sounds like fun and decide for yourself whether you might actually lust for more strange sounds from these new composers.
St Petri Kirke, Sankt Peders Stræde 2, Cph K; March 13, 17:00
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Chamber music with premieres
This is a bit of a cheat, since it isn’t just premieres but also includes Le livre de Jeb for piano, a 2009 piece from French composer Bruno Mantovani. The concert has five pieces in total and includes the premiere of Mads Emil Dreyer’s streg, komma, streg and Kasper Rofelt’s Semiosis. The composers’ thoughts on the pieces suggest that it will be more abstract musical rather than harmonious sounds.
Studiescenen, Rosenørns Allé 22, Frederiksberg; March 10, 21:30
New songs
Tan Tuan Hao found inspiration in a Chinese opera for Chúan – which apparently refers to the act of passing something on. It’s a touching idea and an interesting source of inspiration. This piece is for two vocals and guitar. Other pieces include Eva Rotenberg’s Birdcage walk (2012), Mads Emil Dreyer’s Kombinationer (premiere), Jeppe Ernst’s Y (premiere), another from Tan Tuan Hao: Songs from ‘05 (premiere), Ji Yu’s Songs of a boater from Yue, I, II (premiere) and Benjamin de Murashkin’s The Thunder, Perfect Mind (premiere).
Studiescenen, Rosenørns Allé 22, Frederiksberg; March 11, 19:30
Pulsar Festival
Various venues in Cph K & Frederiksberg; starts Thu March 7, ends March 14; free adm at all concerts; www.dkdm.dk