programme description
Over the past several years, an independent and innovative classical music scene has been developing in Germany. It consciously strives to move beyond traditional concert culture and embrace instead new performative methods of presentation and contemporary dramaturgical concepts. It features thematic programmes, encourages musicians to assume greater artistic responsibility and promotes more public participation in the design of the programmes. Musicians, independent ensembles, concert organisers, dramaturges and music managers in the new independent classical music scene are experimenting with musical genres, changing working and organisational forms, integrating digital formats and presenting programmes that apply a historically and geographically broader definition of “classical music”.
Festivals play a central role as a driver of innovation in this trend. Using contemporary performance methods, festivals serve as a testing ground where new approaches that enhance presentations of classical music are staged. Numerous stakeholders and creative artists in the national and international classical music scene are leading the way, committed to cultivating an unconventional music culture that encourages experimentation.
With its three-part pilot programme tuned – Network for Contemporary Classical Music, the German Federal Cultural Foundation wishes to promote innovative approaches which offer alternatives to the “classical” concert business.
Fact-Box
- Program
- tuned
- Duration
- 2023 - 2026
- Festivals in this network
- 6
- Budget
- 3,5 Mio. Euro
Network
The first part of the programme aims to establish a national network of festivals which already explore novel forms of concert performance artistically, programmatically and organisationally, apply new working methods and develop their own innovative approaches, programmatic profiles and production conditions. For this initial round of funding, the German Federal Cultural Foundation has selected the Beethovenfest (external link, opens in a new window) in Bonn, the detect classic festival (external link, opens in a new window) by the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Mozartfest (external link, opens in a new window) in Würzburg, the Podium Festival (external link, opens in a new window) in Esslingen, the Thüringer Bachwochen (external link, opens in a new window) and the TONALi (external link, opens in a new window) initiative in Hamburg to participate in the network. The festival partners will develop new models and approaches in concert programming both independently and collaboratively, e.g. focusing on musical scores, composition, staging, contextualisation, choreography and the canon. The same applies to organisational details, the development of sustainable touring and residence models, and the cultivation of long-term artistic partnerships. The festival partners will also test new ideas that promote public participation and integrate their local music scenes.
Academies
Each year the German Federal Cultural Foundation will organise nationwide academies to promote exchange and to ensure that the knowledge and experience gained from the network are redirected to the art and cultural scene. Not only will the academies strengthen international exchange, but they will also ensure that the innovations achieved by the classical music festivals will be taken into account in cultural policymaking in the future.
Idea congress
Finally, the German Federal Cultural Foundation will organise an international idea congress in 2025. At the congress, representatives and participants of the independent and institutional festival and classical music scene will have the opportunity to discuss the future of classical music against the backdrop of diverse presentation possibilities and improved production and reception conditions.
The German Federal Cultural Foundation has allocated 3.5 million euros to finance “tuned – Network for Contemporary Classical Music”. Unsolicited applications will not be accepted.