Ensemble MidtVest

EMV plays chamber music and creates musical experiences reaching beyond the stage. We exist at the interface between traditional chamber-music concerts and new innovative formats in which we challenge how chamber music can be expressed and delve into a 500-year-long repertoire and free improvisation.

We want to create a personal relationship with all of our audiences, and make the musical experience moving and relevant for everyone. This applies wherever we meet our audience; be it inside or outside the concert hall. For music is a right, not a privilege, and therefore we want to help make sure that everyone has equal access to classical music, including those who live in outlying areas of Denmark. Furthermore, we want to establish a framework for local communities and talent development.

Concerts in Denmark and abroad

We play around 100 concerts a year in Denmark and abroad, and we have performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Nordic Museum in Seattle, Kings’ 'Place in London, as well as at Musikfestspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rio International Chamber Music Week, ULTIMA Festival in Oslo, the Vale of Glamorgan Festival in Wales and Mantova Chamber Music Festival in Italy.

We work regularly with high-profile musicians. Previous partners include: Pekka Kuusisto, Tai Murray (violin), Jennifer Stumm (viola), Torleif Thedéen, Christoph Richter, Andreas Brantelid, Matthew Barley (cello), Knut Erik Sundquist (double bass), Martin Fröst, Charles Neidich, Johannes Peitz (clarinet), Alexander Lonquich, Christian Ihle Hadland, Christina Bjørkøe, Aleksandar Madžar (piano), Johannes Fischer (percussion), Christina Landshamer (soprano), Bo Skovhus (baritone), Per Arne Glorvigen, Paolo Russo (bandonion), The Danish String Quartet and Trio con Brio Copenhagen.

Artistic collaboration

From 2014-2018, the recognised fagottist Sergio Azzolini was attached to the ensemble as an artistic consultant with focus on Baroque and early classical music.

Besides traditional chamber music, the ensemble work with classical improvisation in order to create their own musical language. In this context, the well-known jazz pianist, Carsten Dahl, was attached to the ensemble as an artistic consultant from 2007-2017. Together with Carsten Dahl, the musicians developed their musical intuition and individuality through classical improvisation.

Recordings

Ensemble MidtVest has recorded 23 CDs. Recordings of piano quartets by Mozart and Brahms have won the Danish Broadcasting Corporation’s P2 prize for the best Danish CD of the year. In 2020, the critically acclaimed “Whirl’s World” album with works by Per Nørgård was nominated for a Gramophone Award.

Facts

EMV was established in 2002, and today consists of nine classical musicians, who together constitute a string trio, a wind quintet and a pianist. EMV are based at HEART - Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, which houses rehearsal rooms and a concert hall.

We are one of Denmark's basis ensembles, so we are funded by the state as well as three municipalities: Herning, Holstebro and Struer.