Scharoun Ensemble Berlin

The Scharoun Ensemble Berlin was founded in 1983 by members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The name of the architect Hans Scharoun (1893-1972) is inextricably linked with the Berlin Philharmonie, his greatest work. This concert hall has set standards worldwide, creating a space for making music in the spirit of tradition and experimentation in order to promote human communication and understanding. In honouring the legacy of Hans Scharoun, the eight musicians express an artistic self-concept which reflects their commitment to both the heritage of the past and the challenges of the present.

The ensemble comprises the standard octet instrumentation. Beethoven’s Septet, Schubert’s Octet, and chamber works of Mozart and Brahms are the focus of its classical and romantic repertoire, as well as 20th-century classical Modernist works and contemporary music. The Scharoun Ensemble has performed numerous works by leading contemporary composers, many of which have been commissioned by the ensemble. Works by Hans Werner Henze, György Ligeti, Isang Yun, György Kurtág, Wolfgang Rihm, Matthias Pintscher, Thomas Adès, Jörg Widmann and many others form an integral part of the ensemble’s repertoire.