Ensemble Écoute performs Boulez and Imsu Choi

Since its founding by conductor Fernando Palomeque and composer Alex Nante, Ensemble Écoute has set out to share the music of young composers, while bringing it into dialogue with landmark repertoire of the late twentieth century. In this concert at the 2026 Festival Singer-Polignac 2026, the ensemble marks two important anniversaries. The first commemorates the tenth anniversary of Pierre Boulez’s death with a performance of Dérive II. Originally composed in 1988 and subsequently revised on two occasions, Dérive II emerged from Boulez’s exploration of periodicity and his reflections on the music of Ligeti.

The second anniversary celebrates 140 years of diplomatic relations between France and Korea with the world premiere of a new work for twelve instruments by Imsu Choi, a composer and resident artist of the Singer-Polignac Foundation. The program celebrates the enduring influence of modernist masters and the vitality of contemporary musical creation.