ENSEMBLE ERNST was established in 1996, an offspring of the contemporary student ensemble of the Norwegian Academy of Music. Thomas Rimul has been the conductor from the start, and most of the musicians have been members since the very beginning. The ensemble has specialised itself on the music of our most immediate contemporary period, focusing on composers like Beat Furrer, Salvatore Sciarrino, Jonathan Harvey and Iannis Xenakis, and actively commissioning music from Norwegian composers. Behind the musicians commitment to working with contemporary music lies a strong desire to communicate with a broader audience. This pervades every aspect of the Ensemble’s work, from programming to presentation to performing. This motivation is deeply anchored in the Ensemble’s heart. Ensemble Ernst have received enthusiastic acclamation and reviews for their participation at many Ultima-festivals and have made several successfull tours in Norway, the nordic countries and Germany. Artist photo by Siri Hempel Lindøe