ULYSSES Ensemble 2025

APPLICATION CALL DEADLINE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 12PM CEST (PARIS GMT).

Inspired by the grand tours of classical musicians travelling through Europe and the goals of training and enriching the practices of young musicians, the Ulysses Platform brings together 13 European institutions for the promotion and professionalization of young composers and young performers in the domain of new music. Each year, a new ensemble of young musicians living in Europe is formed and hosted in several academies and festivals. In 2025, the Ulysses Ensemble tours in June in Milan (Divertimento Ensemble) and Paris (IRCAM ManiFeste Festival).

With the support of the Ulysses Platform, supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe program.

The Ulysses Ensemble 2025 consists of 9 musicians: 1 flute (also piccolo, alto, bass), 1 oboe (also English horn), 1 clarinet (also E flat and bass), 1 tenor saxophone (also soprano, alto and barytone) 1 piano, 1 percussion, 1 violin, 1 viola, 1 cello. 

PROGRAMS OF THE 2 STOPS

Monday, June 16 — Sunday, June 22, 2025 @Milan (Italy)
Concert on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in Fabbrica del Vapore
Educational Advisor: Sandro Gorli (conductor)

For Ulysses ensemble first stop, Italian conductor Sandro Gorli invites two Italian composers Edoardo Dadone and Carmen Fizzarotti to create their new pieces for ensemble, commissions by Divertimento Ensemble. The week will culminate with a concert on June 21^st in Fabbrica del Vapore
. Edoardo Dadone, new work, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 13 minutes (2025), commission of Divertimento Ensemble, WORLD PREMIERE
. Carmen Fizzarotti, new work, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 13 minutes (2025), commission of Divertimento Ensemble, WORLD PREMIERE
. Marco Momi, almost quiver for E.P., flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 12 minutes (2011)
. Enno Poppe, Schrank, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 27 minutes (2009)

STOP 2 – MANIFESTE-2025
Sunday, June 22 — Sunday, June 29, 2025 @Paris (France)
Concert on Saturday, June 28, 2025 in IRCAM Espace de projection
Educational Advisor: Matteo Cesari (tutor and conductor)

Italian Paris-based flutist and conductor Matteo Cesari leads and conducts a master class for the Ulysses Ensemble on a chamber music programme including Marco Momi Iconica IV with IRCAM electronics, and rerun of Carmen Fizzarotti new work premiered in Milan on June 21^st.  The week culminates with a public concert as part of the festival ManiFeste-2025 in IRCAM Espace de projection.
. Carmen Fizzarotti, new work, for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 13 minutes (2025), FRENCH PREMIERE
. Sara Glojnarić, sugarcoating (v3.0) for flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 10 minutes (2017/2020)
. Michael Jarrell, Assonance VI, for flute (also alto flute), oboe (also French horn), clarinet (also bass clarinet), piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 9 minutes (1991)
. Marco Momi, Iconica IV, for flute, clarinet, prepared piano, violin, viola, cello and electronics, 16 minutes (2010)
. Alberto Posadas, Nebmaat, for clarinet, tenor and soprano saxophone, violin, viola, cello, 15 minutes (2003)

APPLICATION

Applicants must:
- be born after January 1, 1993
- reside in Europe (no travel fees outside Europe can be reimbursed)
- be able to speak and understand English

APPLICATION DEADLINE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025, 12pm CEST (Paris GMT).
Personal reply by email Friday, March 28, 2025

To apply, you must create an account (or use an existing account) on the Ulysses platform, complete your profile and click on "Apply" from the "Ulysses ensemble 2025" call page, then:

• provide personal details (lastname, first name, age, nationality, address, cell phone number, ID card, full-face photo which will be used by IRCAM for access badges and other documents)
• specifiy your address in June 2025
• specify your instrument (and doublings, if any, specify if you own these instruments)
• write a short biography (800 characters MAXIMUM) which can be used by IRCAM
• submit a CV listing your educational background, professional experience, awards and grants
• submit a list of contemporary repertoire you already performed
• submit a Cover Letter where you explain your motivation for joining the Ulysses ensemble and different stops
• present 1 video (mp4 file no more than 100MB=12,5Mo or YouTube link), where you briefly introduce you IN ENGLISH as a musician (education, professional experience, repertoire) and explain why you want to join the ULYSSES ensemble.
• present 1 video (mp4 file no more than 100MB=12,5Mo or YouTube link), where you perform a 20th ((second half)) or 21st century solo work for your instrument and join the PDF SCORE
• present 1 video (mp4 file no more than 100MB=12,5Mo or YouTube link) or audio recording (mp3) and PDF SCORE where you perform a solo "classical music" work (before 20th century) for your instrument. For instruments that do not include such a repertoire, please submit a solo or soloist work of your choice, preferably a second contemporary solo or soloist piece from different type)
• present 1 video (mp4 file no more than 100MB=12,5Mo or YouTube link) or audio recording (mp3) and PDF SCORE where you perform a work of your choice

We recommend you to save your form as a draft, step by step.

Do not forget to read carefully and accept Consent and Release Form, click on PREVIEW button to check all information, and then APPLY button to finalize your application.

For any request, please contact academy (at) ircam.fr / For technical assistance, please contact technical.assistance (at) ulysses-network.eu

JURY

SELECTED INSTRUMENTALISTS

INSTRUMENTALISTS SELECTED FOR THE ENSEMBLE:
- MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL STOPS AND DURING ALL PERIODS, including date of travelling: from Monday, June 16 to Sunday June 29, 2025. No late arrivals or early departures are permitted. No absences during these periods are permitted.
- have no registration fees to pay
- travel fees incurred within Europe, housing expenses (single or double room to share in a hotel or apartment, depending on the stop), and meals (restaurant, meals or perdiems depending on the stop) will be paid
- will have a first online meeting during March/April 2025, all together with the 2 stops teams to introduce the project.

Instrumentalists selected to participate who do not respect the information provided or who will be absent—even partially—during one stop will be excluded from the Ulysses ensemble tour by the Ulysses members’s team.

Photo: ULYSSES Ensemble, ManiFeste the Academy, 2024 edition. Ⓒ Ircam, Quentin Chevrier