Founded 1997 in Berlin, ensemble mosaik has evolved to become a particularly diverse and experimental formation in the field of contemporary music. Beyond their outstanding instrumental skills, they display creative individuality and a never-ending joy in experiments. In years of tight co-operation, they have created an entity of sound that is highest ranking both in artistic competence and openness to the most diverse concepts of contemporary music. 

Close co-operation with up-and-coming composers and the tying in of digital media are key to the ensembles work in composition, interpretation, and presentation. 

A special focal point is the reflection of new approaches in performance, such as including scenic and visual elements, and the trying of new concert formats, shedding light on shared contexts connecting individual works, consolidating current strands, and probing new perspectives. In cooperation with artists from other fields and musical genres, the concerts themselves become experimental designs. 

During the Kalv Festival 2024 a string quartet from the ensemble participates: 

Chatschatur Kanajan – violin
Hannah Weirich – violin
Karen Lorenz – viola
Niklas Seidl – cello

Concert | ensemble mosaik  

Luigi Nono’s string quartet Fragmente – Stille; an Diotima and Milica Djordjevic’s The Death of the Star-Knower.  

Milica Djordjevic – The Death of the Star-Knower [2008] 

“ he had to die, they say
the stars were closer to him
than people were 

The ants ate him, they say
he imagined that the stars
give birth to the ants and the ants to the stars
so he filled the house with the ants 

you looked at each other, stars
secretely, for the sky not to see
you thought well 

You misunderstood

— Vasko Popa, “Secondary Heaven” (utdrag) 

“Realization of the time‐flow, levels and layers of the piece is based on the idea of conversion of musical time into musical space throughout “paraphrasing” the coordinate system. What is the time if not our subjective sensation / impression / feeling? The way we are going to experience this depends on what happens during definite interval of time, on the emotional value of these events, and on our ability, willingness and readiness to direct our senses towards perception of the present events/musical objects. Also, perception and the idea of the space become revived if we are capable to “move” within the determinate borders. 

Rhythm and pulse have a significant role in the conception of the structure and the time organization of the piece on both micro and macro level. By stretching or compressing the original model, superimposing irregular rhythmic groups, pulse changing or negation (leading to its complete annulations), the awareness and the perception of the events are going to be changed. 

The “sound” (sound quality) is of the fundamental importance for the expressive aspect of the piece (and its psychological effect) ‐ the aspect that I consider to be very important. It is the main tool used in order to attain the slow but constant intensification and expansion of tension and emotional charge in both musical and psychological sense.  

Still with the toes bleeding
I kick these crystals‐of‐time through the
liquid space 
Behind my forehead” 

— M. Djordjevic 

Luigi Nono – Fragmente – Stille; an Diotima [1979-1980]

“We would like to dedicate this concert to Bettina Junge, our beloved friend, artistic director and fantastic musician, who passed away on 17th of july.”
— ensemble mosaik

Concert | Gageego! ensemble mosaic Mark Tatlow Elena Gabbrielli Klaus Lang Christy du Preez the Kalv Choir