Commission to Eight Composers

Based in Tel Aviv, the Meitar Ensemble has established itself as one of the leading groups in contemporary music. Its core instrumentation includes flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello, piano and voice.

To mark its twentieth anniversary, the ensemble commissioned new works from eight composers—Anahita Abbasi, Hanna Ajiashvili, Chaya Czernowin, Hugues Dufourt, Yair Klartag, Mauro Lanza, Brigitta Muntendorf, and Samir Odeh-Tamimi—hailing from Iran, Israel, Palestine, and Europe. These new compositions reflect the ensemble’s commitment to peace, equality and the defence of human rights, freedom of speech, and protection against global warming. At a time marked by war and escalating violence, the Meitar Ensemble seeks to use music as a means of bridging divides between people of different backgrounds.

This project also challenges the common perception of contemporary classical music as abstract and elitist. It aims to make the genre more accessible by engaging with real-world issues and shared human experiences. Themes explored in the commissioned works include borders, refugeehood, climate change, societal marginalization, misrepresentation and the importance of speaking up. All commissions were made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

Further Information:
meitar.net

Dates

July 11, 2025
Heroines of Sound Festival, Radialsystem Berlin

December 27, 2025
Jaffa Music Auditorium