Contemporaneous is an ensemble of 21 musicians whose mission is to bring to life the music of now. Recognized for “ferocious, focused performance” (The New York Times) and for its “passionate drive…setting an extremely high bar for other ensembles to live up to” (I Care If You Listen), Contemporaneous performs and promotes the most exciting work of living composers through innovative concerts, commissions, recordings, and educational programs.
Founded at Bard College in 2010, Contemporaneous is based in NYC and active throughout the United States. Contemporaneous has performed over 100 concerts at venues including Lincoln Center, Park Avenue Armory, (le) poisson rouge, Merkin Concert Hall, Baryshnikov Arts Center, St. Ann’s Warehouse, and the Bang on a Can Marathon. The ensemble has worked with artists as diverse as David Byrne, Courtney Love, Martin Creed, Donnacha Dennehy, and Dawn Upshaw.
Contemporaneous has presented the world premiere of more than 75 works, many of them large-scale pieces by emerging composers. Through its commissions and readiness to play challenging music, the ensemble encourages artists to take risks and defy constraints. Contemporaneous also leads participatory programs for public school students, designed to instill a passion for new music and to convey the power of meaningful expression through music.