Studio for New Music Ensemble. Pablo Picasso (video)

The Studio for New Music (SNM) is the leading contemporary music group in Russia. The ensemble was founded by composer Vladimir Tarnopolski and conductor Igor Dronov in 1993. Their first concert was given in France with Mstislav Rostropovich as conductor. Every year the ensemble performs about 30 programs in Moscow and throughout the country, and is a frequent guest in many Western contemporary music festivals. SNM has performed in the halls of the Berliner Philharmonic, Paradiso Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Berlin, Jacqueline du Pre Concert Hall Oxford, Deutschlandfunk Koeln, Schoenberg Center Vienna, and Hellerau Dresden among others. They have been involved in workshops, including Oxford University, Harvard and Boston University. The ensemble has given many concerts in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal , USA, Uzbekistan, and other countries.

SNM has premiered about 150 compositions of Russians and foreign composers. One of the most important events was the world premiere of the Chamber Symphony No. 2 by Nikolai Roslavets (composed 1934) which was recently found in an archive. In association with Ensemble Modern, «Studio» also performed the Russian premiere of Requiem by Henze. In this way it cooperates with other leading foreign ensembles, performing the Russian premieres of pieces by Andriessen, Lachenmann, Ligeti and many others. SNM has presented about 60 concert-portraits of the leading contemporary composers.

Among its vast repertory, special attention is given to the Russian Avant-garde of the 1920’s as well as compositions by contemporary composers written especially for the group.

SNM has won status as the ensemble-in-residence at the Moscow Conservatory. It is the core ensemble for the «Moscow Forum» Festival of contemporary music. In 2002-2003, the ensemble received a special grant from the Ernst-von-Siemens Musikstiftung for a cycle of concerts «Russia-Germany: chapters of the 20th century,» which included a total of 17 programs. At present SNM is presenting a three-year cycle entitled «An Anthology of the Avant-garde: a series of 30 concerts in from the Russian provinces». This project has won a special grant from the Kulturstiftung des Bundes and Ernst-von-Siemens Musikstiftung.