EnsembleSpectrum is a chamber ensemble specializing in music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Its formation was closely connected to the need of young composers and students of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava to perform their own works and thereby test their compositional and instrumentation approaches, as well as to present works by Slovak composers representing the avant-garde of the 1960s — such as Jozef Sixta, Ivan Hrušovský, and Vladimír Bokes — alongside works by international composers of the 20th and 21st centuries including Claude Debussy, Darius Milhaud, Gérard Grisey, Philippe Hurel, Fausto Romitelli, Tristan Murail, Hans Abrahamsen, Alfred Schnittke, and Salvatore Sciarrino.
The members of the ensemble studied at or graduated from prestigious music academies including the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. They are professionally active in various Slovak orchestras and ensembles. The artistic director of the ensemble is composer and conductor Matej Sloboda, who also serves as the ensemble’s dramaturge.
Since its establishment in 2012, EnsembleSpectrum has premiered numerous new works, including Slovak premieres of compositions by international composers. The ensemble has actively participated in several improvisation projects, such as Eddie Prévost’s workshop at the NEXT Festival. The ensemble regularly performs at Slovak music festivals including Melos-Étos, Nová slovenská hudba – Epoché, Konfrontácie, Orfeus, AsynChrónie, and Bach Tribute, as well as at international artistic events such as Fête de la Musique.
EnsembleSpectrum regularly organizes its own projects, including Avantgarda ’60, New Dawn, music unlimited – unlimited music, Resonances of Colours, Russian Evening, and Grade Concerto, through which it supports the creation of new works by Slovak and international composers. Within these projects, the ensemble has realized a number of notable concert productions, complemented by standalone performances such as Avantgarda ’60 (2018), EnsembleSpectrum and the Icons of Spectralism (2019), Die Stücke der Windrose – Mauricio Kagel (2020), New Dawn Vol. 2 – La femme armée (2021), Sleepover with EnsembleSpectrum – 9 Hours of Music (2021), Critical Band in Banská Bystrica (2021), and others.
In 2018, EnsembleSpectrum released its debut CD, New Dawn, featuring works by young Slovak and international composers. In 2021, the ensemble founded the label UBU Collection, primarily dedicated to contemporary music, through which it has also produced several further recordings from its catalogue.