On the auspice of Radulescu’s 75^th birth year, Ensemble for New Music Tallinn and Acker Stadt Palast seized the opportunity to present a festival dedicated to works of contemporary microtonal music, alongside works by Radulescu himself. The festival is to be accompanied by seminar/symposium and workshop session on the subject, held by academics and practitioners specialized in microtonality and experts on Radulescu’s music.

Horatiu Radulescu (1942-2008) was one of the most radical and uncompromising composer, visionary, artist, mystic, poets of 20 and 21^st century.  As Olivier Messian described: “Radulescu is one of the most original composers of our time. We know that in the XXth century – more than in any other, Science and Art go hand in hand. This is particularly true for the music of Radulescu, who has participated in the renewal of musical language. “

As the growing passion for pursuing less exploited languages of contemporary music in recent years has led to a trend of microtonal music, with many avid fans extending beyond contemporary or classical music community, many composers employ various aspects of microtonality/micro-intervals on their works to some degrees, either casually or as means of expression. Or even as the very fabric of their music.  Meanwhile since the more experimental and liberal microtonal music often has little place on the usual repertoire of contemporary music institutions or festivals, with almost no music festival dedicated to microtonal music (none at least in Europe), we are hoping to fill the gap by presenting a festival fully dedicated and devoted to repertoire of microtonal contemporary music, in the heart of Berlin as one of the most important centers of new music in the world.

In order for a more thorough demonstration of the subjects of programs, the festival intends to include a symposium that will take place with kind collaboration with, and within premises of, University der Kunst Berlin.

Due to the often challenging and idiosyncratic technical demands of his music, Radulescu spent his career cultivating a small circle of close relationships with enthusiastic performers and ensembles. One such close collaboration was with the French violist and spectral music advocate Vincent Royer who will have a central role on presenting the workshop on Radulescu music and special techniques of microtonality.

Ensemble for New Music Tallinn has in any case been developed into a specialized unit to execute just the kind of microtonal intrication and technical gymnastics required for Radulescu’s music and to a larger extend for repertoire of microtonal and experimental contemporary music.

The Sound Plasma project gives occasion to present other rare gems of less known, yet immensely important and powerful, works of microtonal music. Works by composers such as Dror Feiler and James Tenney as well as Alvin Lucier will be performed during the festival.

Since the establishing in 2012, Ensemble for New Music Tallinn has proven to be faithful to its promise of bringing about fresh and unexperienced music to the new and eager audience.

We could claim to be enriching a new approach or culture of listening to music, by introducing our carefully selected programs specially those of microtonal music, and successfully befriending the audience with the current and valid contemporary music.

*Text in part by William Dougherty