ULYSSES ENSEMBLE TOUR 2026

Each year, the ULYSSES Ensemble is formed anew. Young musicians living in Europe are hosted by academies and festivals as they rehearse and perform in several countries across the ULYSSES network. 

In 2026, the ULYSSES Ensemble tours in June to Milan (Divertimento Ensemble) and Paris (IRCAM ManiFeste Festival) and in October to Barcelona (Festival Mixtur).

The ULYSSES Ensemble 2026 consists of 8 musicians: 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 tenor, 1 piano, 1 percussion, 1 violin, 1 viola, 1 cello. 

Stop 1 – Milan, with DIVERTIMENTO ENSEMBLE

Monday, June 8 — Sunday, June 14, 2026 @Milan (Italy)

Concerts on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 (solo pieces) and Saturday, June 13, 2026 (ensemble pieces), in Fabbrica del Vapore

Educational Advisors: Sandro Gorli (conductor), Luca Francesconi (composer), musicians from Ensemble Divertimento

For the ULYSSES ensemble first stop, as part of the Rondò 2026 musical season (23rd edition), conductor and artistic director Sandro Gorli invites Italian composer Luca Francesconi to celebrate his 70th birthday and attend rehearsals as a tutor. At the final concert, on June 13th at the Fabbrica del Vapore, the ULYSSES ensemble indeed performs an ensemble piece by Francesconi, Insieme II (2016). The musicians of the ULYSSES ensemble are also acquainted with the young French composer Anne Castex, working on her new piece for ensemble and electronics, which is premiered in Milan. The final concert's program concludes with a new piece by Fabio Nieder, written especially for the occasion, and Trittico (2026) by Daniele Bonacina, both premiered. During the week of rehearsals, the young musicians benefit of work sessions with the Divertimento Ensemble musicians.

Additionally, musicians from the ULYSSES ensemble are offered the opportunity to play a short piece for solo instrument by Francesconi, practicing it with him, in a concert on June 10th. This concert is interspersed with conversation and a glass of wine.

June 10 concert:

• Luca Francesconi solo works tbd

June 13 concert:

• Anne Castex new work, 10 minutes (2026) - World Premiere
• Fabio Nieder new work, 10 minutes (2026) - World Premiere
• Daniele Bonacina Trittico (version 2), 10 minutes (2026) - World Premiere
• Luca Francesconi Insieme II, 12 minutes (2016)

Co-commission Gaudeamus Festival, International Ensemble Modern Academy, IRCAM-Centre Pompidou, with the support of the ULYSSES Platform, co-funded by the European Union, for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello and electronics

Commission by Divertimento Ensemble, for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello

for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello

for flute, clarinet, piano, vibraphone, violin, cello

STOP 2 — Paris, for MANIFESTE-2026

Sunday, June 14 — Sunday, June 21, 2026 @Paris (France)

Concert on Saturday, June 20, 2026 in CENTQUATRE-PARIS

Educational Advisors: Pierre Bleuse (conductor) and soloists from the Ensemble intercontemporain (tutors)

As part of the academy ManiFeste-2026, French conductor and musical director of the Ensemble intercontemporain, Pierre Bleuse leads a master class for both the ULYSSES Ensemble and the NEXT ensemble (from Conservatoire de Paris), with the complicity of soloists from the Ensemble intercontemporain who tutor the young musicians. They work on two pieces from contemporary repertoire, Stefano Gervasoni’s Fado Errático and Unsuk Chin Gougalōn. Scenes from a Street Theater, which young instrumentalists perform side by side with NEXT ensemble and the Ensemble intercontemporain. Besides, the 8 musicians from the ULYSSES Ensemble reruns Anne Castex’s new work premiered in Paris on June 20, this time under Pierre Bleuse baton. In addition, young instrumentalists of both ensembles (ULYSSES and NEXT) benefit of work sessions with musicians from the Ensemble intercontemporain. The week culminates with a public concert as part of the festival ManiFeste-2026 in CENTQUATRE-PARIS. 

Programme

Anne Castex, new work, 10 minutes (2026), co-commissioned by Ircam-Centre Pompidou, Gaudeamus Festival, IEMA (International Ensemble Modern Academy), FRENCH PREMIERE

for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello and electronics

. Unsuk Chin Gougalōn. Scenes from a Street Theater, 20 minutes (2009/2011)

for flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, 2 pianos, 2 percussions, 2 violins, viola, 2 cellos, double bass,

. Stefano Gervasoni Fado Errático, a song concert upon fados by Amália Rodrigues, 65 minutes (2007/2015) 

for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, piano, 3 percussions, Portuguese guitar, Spanish guitar, harp, accordion, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass and electronics

STOP 3 - Barcelona, for MIXTUR FESTIVAL

Wednesday, October 15 — Sunday, October 18, 2026 @Barcelona (Spain)
Concert on Saturday, October 17, 2026, in Fabra i Coats - Fàbrica de Creació
Educational Advisors: Nacho de Paz (conductor), instrumentalists tbc

For the third and final stop, the ULYSSES Ensemble arrives in Barcelona to collaborate with conductor Nacho de Paz and tutors from a professional music ensemble tbc. Throughout the week, the musicians work intensively on Anne Castex’s new co-commission, performed as Spanish premiere, alongside Luca Francesconi’s Insieme II. They also develop another premiere by Carolina Cerezo, commissioned by Mixtur Festival, two miniatures by participants of the Mixtur Composition Workshop, and one additional piece to be confirmed. Rehearsals take place at Fabra i Coats: Fàbrica de Creació starting on October 15, culminating in a public concert on October 17, 2026 as part of Festival Mixtur.

• Anne Castex new work, 10 minutes (2026) - Spanish Premiere
  Co-commission Gaudeamus Festival, International Ensemble Modern Academy, IRCAM-Centre Pompidou, with the support of the ULYSSES Platform, co-funded by the European Union, for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello and electronics
• Carolina Cerezo new work, 10 minutes (2026) - World Premiere
  Commission Mixtur Festival, for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello
• Luca Francesconi Insieme II, 12 minutes (2016)
  for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, cello, vibraphone
• two Miniatures by composers from Mixtur Composition Workshops, each 3 minutes (2026) WORLD PREMIERES
• Alex Vaughan, new work, 10 minutes (2026) WORLD PREMIERE
  Commission Mixtur Festival, for flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello