Ensemble Raro
Ensemble Raro was formed in 2004 by four extraordinary young musicians. Their goal is to create unforgettable musical moments and to combine innovative approach with the rich European tradition of intimate and genuine chamber music making.
The inspiration for the ensemble's name comes from Robert Schumann's invented alter ego, Master Raro - a member of the Davidsbund and a mediator between Florestan and Eusebius, the two characters that were Schumann's musical doubles, the contrasting voices of his creative psyche. Master Raro was, therefore, something of a balancing force and represented sound judgment and a need to find unconventional ways of going forward.
In this sense, Ensemble Raro is constantly looking for new contrasting programme forms, in which they establish fresh cultural, musical and literary connections. Since the members of Ensemble Raro are also in great demand as solo artists, it gives them even more possibilities to create different programmes, ranging from solo pieces to quartets.
Ensemble Raro is the ensemble in residence at the Chiemgauer Musikfruehling Festival in Traunstein, SoNoRo Festival in Bucharest, Kobe International Music Festival, Pèlèrinages in München and Le Faure/Bordeaux. By creating these festivals the ensemble has full artistic liberty: they have improvised with DJ's, created multimedia shows with VJ's from Japan and Romania and developed literary soirées on love, Paul Wittgenstein and Bulgakow's Master and Margarita with the actor Karl Markovics and the writer Lea Singer.
Ensemble Raro is actively involved in performing contemporary chamber music repertoire. They gave the British and German premieres of Peteris Vasks's Piano Quartet. Their performances of Walter Braunfels' and George Enescu's works in Pelerinages series in Munich received critical acclaim.
Ensemble Raro's partners in various chamber music formations include Daishin Kashimoto, Konstantin Lifschitz, Adrian Brendel, Claudio Bohorquez, Baiba Skride, Carolin Widmann, Alina Pogostkina, Marlis Petersen, Mark Padmore and other celebrated musicians.
The Ensemble recently performed in the Boswil Summer Festival (Switzerland), St.Gallen Festival and Gmunden Festspiele (Austria), Riga Chamber Music Days (Latvia), Schloss Elmau and Schloss Filseck (Germany) and in Music at Plush Festival (UK). Since 2006 the Ensemble Raro has toured annually in Japan.
Besides regular collaboration with the Bavarian Radio, Ensemble Raro's performances have been broadcast on NHK/Japan, SWR/D, TVR, RRC and RRM/RO, DRS2/CH, LVR/LV and RFI/F.
Last two years the Ensemble Raro released three CDs. The first CD Songs and Dances of Life was described by Radio France International as “an exceptional project”. About the Canti Drammatici featuring piano quartets of Brahms and Vasks, the renowned Gramophone Magazine wrote: "Ensemble Raro bring a feisty application, impeccable polish and lively imagination to Brahms's stormy C minor Piano Quartet... ". The Seasons was released in autumn 2008 in cooperation with the SoNoRo Festival and features the seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and Astor Piazzolla.
Ensemble Raro regularly gives master classes in Romania, Italy and Japan and developed SoNoRo - INTERFERENCES, an extended educational project dedicated to the most talented young Romanian musicians.
In the season 2009/2010 Ensemble Raro will give debut recitals in Vienna (Konzerthaus and Musikverein), Tokyo (Musashino Hall), New York (Carnegie/Zankell Hall) and London (Wigmore Hall).