Central European Chamber Orchestra (Mitteleuropäisches Kammerorchester)

This gathering of artists from different countries, with different musical and educational backgrounds, made possible a great deal of flexibility in terms of repertoire. In addition to its work on pieces from New Music and familiar disciplines, the ensemble aims at establishing a close co-operation with artists with background in performing and visual arts. The mission of the ensemble is to establish itself as an interregional significant musical entity which does not see Vienna as its sole area of activity, but rather as an important centre, the focal point of a realm of Central European culture which transcends national borders.

The latest project has chosen itself the name of hermes for the season 2008/09, the god connecting and mediating between the divine and the human worlds. The concerts were held in the cities of eastern and central Europe connecting cultures and generations and create a link between performers and audiences. In this project, the group was scheduled to visit four cities in four countries: Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Bucharest. Each concert featured, besides works by young composers with ties to the group, pieces by musicians of significance in European contemporary music. Each concert was enriched by the visual experience of video installations and projections by artists from the Viennese visual arts scene.