Graz becomes the center of contemporary music: Festival starts!

Graz becomes the center of contemporary music: Festival starts!

From February 17, 2025, Graz transformed into a center of contemporary Music, in which more than 230 musicians and composers come together from around 45 nations. The festival, organized by Ute Pinter, starts with an opening concert by the New Art & Music ensemble name in the Graz Mumuth and offers a dense program with a total of 38 events until February 28. In addition to large venues such as the Schauspielhaus and the Helmut List-Halle, smaller rooms and galleries will also be part of the festival. In particular, the impulse-minute concerts on February 22 offer young artists a platform to present their skills and make them accessible to the audience, according to the organizer.

A central element of the festival is the impulse academy. Here the festival supports international, aspiring artists who want to gain expertise in contemporary music in Graz. In addition to the academy, the international Impuls Composition Competition , which orders new works by young composers every two years. These composers take part in workshops in Vienna and Graz, where their pieces are rehearsed and discussed together with musicians first -class ensembles such as the Vienna Klangforum. In this way, not only is the creation of new music promoted, but the works are also supported by recordings and concerts.

The festival offers a fascinating mix of international sounds, including numerous Austrian premieres and premieres. Pinter emphasizes that in addition to new compositions, works of the 20th and 21st centuries will also be performed. The event offers a unique opportunity for the audience to experience various styles of contemporary music and support young talents. While the festival is in full swing, the new compositions of the Impuls Composition Competition are presented.