OSTRAVA DAYS
Summer Institute for Composers and Performers
Ostrava, Czech Republic
The mission of Ostrava Days is to create a working and learning environment for composers and performers to advance the development of contemporary music. For three weeks, young and emerging musicians interact with a group of leading exponents of new music: composers, performers and both large and small ensembles. The work of the Institute focuses on music for large-scale ensembles, and the opportunity to work on a daily basis with the Janacek Philharmonic-one of the leading symphony orchestras in the Czech Republic-makes the program unique. In its duration and scope, Ostrava Days is one of the largest new music programs in existence.
The educational aspect of Ostrava Days is based on the assumption that art cannot be taught. One cannot "educate" anyone to be an artist; one can only learn to be one, and each student learns in a different way. The Institute offers informal working conditions, with individual attention given to each student. Morton Feldman maintained that conversing with Varese made him an orchestrator. John Cage maintained that he learned most when he was playing chess with Henry Cowell and Marcel Duchamp. This is the kind of learning environment that is created at Ostrava Days.
Ostrava Days takes place biennial.
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