Frankfurt Lab

Contemporary Music Meets Improvisation

On October 3, two ensembles that represent different musical traditions and – at the same time are eager to explore their boundaries – will come together: Ensemble Modern and the NDR Big Band will present a program that bridges contemporary music and free jazz. The program features original works by Paul Cannon, Luigi Grasso, Hermann Kretzschmar, Percy Pursglove, and others, which blend written music and improvisation. The program was developed in April 2025 as part of a joint festival in Hamburg. Now, this extraordinary concert evening can be experienced for the first time in Frankfurt.

Composition and improvisation are often regarded as opposing principles of musical creation. In reality, the boundaries between them are fluid: every interpretation opens up new possibilities, while even improvised music is based on experience, structure, and compositional thinking. It is precisely this intersection that lies at the heart of the collaboration between Ensemble Modern and the NDR Big Band.

Both ensembles are thus at home at different poles of the music scene, yet they have much in common. The NDR Big Band has expanded its repertoire far beyond conventional jazz conventions. It also moves with ease through the complex worlds of contemporary music. For its part, the Ensemble Modern has been active in the field of contemporary music for more than four decades and has extensive experience working with improvised music. An evening in which both ensembles, with a great appetite for risk, explore the possibilities of contemporary music.