Ink Still Wet 2024

A central pillar of the Grafenegg Festival is the Composer in Residence programme, which every year shines a light on an eminent composer of contemporary music. During their stay in Grafenegg, the distinguished composers premiere their own works, but are also there to give advice and support to colleagues in the workshop Ink Still Wet.

Composer conductor workshop Ink Still Wet’s aim is to create a platform for composers and to promote a unique creative exchange between audiences, composers and performing musicians.

2024 already sees the 14th edition of Grafenegg’s Ink Still Wet composer conductor workshop – this time under the direction of Enno Poppe.

In the course of two work phases ‒ from 12-14 March and from 16–25 August 2024 during the Grafenegg Festival ‒ it offers participating composers the unique opportunity to rehearse their own symphonic works with a professional orchestra and then to premiere it in a concert. Workshop leader Enno Poppe, Composer in Residence of the Grafenegg Festival 2024, supports the composers as they immerse themselves in musical practise at the conductor’s lectern and in rehearsing their works with the Tonkunstler Orchestra.

In a preliminary workshop phase in March, the drafts of compositions and concepts submitted will be analysed with the workshop leader, checked for playability with the musicians of the orchestra and given the correct external form with the help of a professional copyist. Corresponding adjustments can be made until the finished scores are submitted in May and until the main phase starting in August. The participants then have the opportunity to work with the orchestra musicians in trying out spontaneous changes to their own pieces and striking a balance between the imagined and real sound. The workshop ends with a closing concert during the Grafenegg Festival on 25 August 2024 in the Auditorium Grafenegg.

Details are available at web pages.