Ikeda came to international renown with his kaleidoscopic sound sculptures, in which electronics and new technologies play key roles. With mathematical precision, he artfully orchestrates sound, images and physical phenomena into performances and installations. With these experiences as a starting point, Ikeda has now accepted the challenge of transferring his working methods to purely acoustic compositions which he is writing especially for Ensemble Modern.

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Ryoji Ikeda: music for strings

Barbican Centre

Immerse yourself in contemporary music: "Why We Play" portrays the work of Ensemble Modern more intimately than ever before. The film captures the deeply sensual atmosphere of rehearsals. It shows not only the perfect final result on stage, but also the arduous journey there – the searching, the discarding, and the collective discovery of a musical language. In Schwedlerstrasse, the creation of new music becomes physically palpable. "Why We Play" gives the audience a sense of the motivations and personal struggles of the musicians and composers who breathe life into this organism. The passion of an ensemble that rehearses around 70 new works each year. A film that makes music not only audible, but tangible as a profound human experience and a collective endeavor.

Paul Cannon

Events

Upcoming events

May 10, 2026

Ensemble Modern - Why We Play · Ensemble Modern

May 30, 2026

Concert Ii · Ensemble Modern

Past events

Feb 20, 2026

Ryoji Ikeda: music for strings · Barbican Centre

About

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