ORBIT

MAM.manufaktur für aktuelle musik was founded in 2010 by scholarship recipients of the International Ensemble Modern Academy, driven by their enthusiasm for new forms of contemporary music. Since then, MAM has collaborated with composers such as Gordon Kampe, Oxana Omelchuk, Hannes Seidl, Robin Hoffmann, Neo Hülcker, Hang Su, and Jagoda Szmytka, and has performed at numerous festivals including MaerzMusik, Donaueschingen Music Days, Ultraschall Festival, Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music, ACHT BRÜCKEN | Musik für Köln, Klangwerkstatt Berlin, pgnm in Bremen, ECLAT in Stuttgart, and klub katarakt in Hamburg.

MAM has a particular interest in music theater. Recent projects include the opera “ELEONORE,” created in collaboration with DJ Illvibe, Gordon Kampe, and Oxana Omelchuk for the Beethoven anniversary in 2020. “On Being Human as Praxis,” based on texts by Sylvia Winter with music by Hang Su, was recorded by SWR at the Donaueschingen Music Days (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRINVUf8m4) and premiered scenically at the Berliner MaerzMusik. With Hang Su, the ensemble created “Gestures of Horizon” for the Museum of Fine Arts in Leipzig, inspired by the work of researcher Maria Reiche. Currently, the ensemble is collaborating with Hannes Seidl on the music theater project “Underground Stories,” which will be performed at various metro stations across Europe, including the Wien Modern festival.

In addition to maintaining a contemporary repertoire at the highest level, MAM is committed to alternative and experimental performance practices at the intersection of performance, improvisation, and the interpretation of composed music. In their concerts, the ensemble regularly contrasts music from different origins, epochs, and disciplines, creating a space for experiments, boundary-crossing, and unexpected connections. Since its inception, Susanne Blumenthal has been the conductor of the ensemble.