About
ENSEMBLE MINI
Winner of the OPUS Klassik 2021, Ensemble Mini is a courageous collective of supersonic soloists from German symphony orchestras that repackages super symphonic music for new audiences.
Often commissioning world premiere arrangements for innovative late-night projects, its mission is to revolutionise the style, sound and setting of classical concerts. This began in 2010 with “mini-Mahler” at Berlin’s Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, followed by “Strauss 150: New Perspectives” at STATTBAD Berlin, “From Russia with Soul” at Griessmühle Berlin and “Bartók Beyond Borders” at Musikbrauerei Berlin. For the current season, the ensemble presents “Late-Night Sinfonie” in collaboration with club partners in Hamburg and Berlin.
Artist collaborations have included RIAS Kammerchor, Regula Mühlemann, Marlis Petersen, Christian Tetzlaff, Gerhild Romberger, Ferhan & Ferzan Önder, Tanja Tetzlaff, Ruth Ziesak and Elisa Carrillo Cabrera. Recent guest performances in Germany have included Musikfest @ Philharmonie Berlin (Stravinsky), Konzerthaus Berlin (Debussy), Dortmund Konzerthaus (Mussorgsky), Essener Philharmonie (Mahler), Kissinger Sommer (Bartók), Kasseler Musiktage (Mahler) and Rheingau Musik Festival (Bruckner), which have been combined with various concerts abroad including Mozarteum Salzburg (Prokofiev), Budapest Palace of Arts (Bartók), Auditorio Nacional Madrid (Mahler) and Zaryadye Hall Moscow (Shostakovich).
Ensemble Mini has been reviewed and featured widely in German media (such as with 3sat Kulturzeit, ZDF Aspekte, rbb Stilbruch and WDR 3) and has also recorded several live concerts for Deutschlandfunk Kultur, RBB Kulturradio, NDR Kultur and SWR Classic, as well as an award-winning debut CD, MAHLER 9 (ARS-Produktion). A follow-up recording – MAHLER 10 – was released in March 2021, receiving broad critical acclaim and four nominations for the OPUS Klassik 2021, resulting in the prestigious award for best chamber music recording.
Remaining plans for 2022 include a return of “Bartók Beyond Borders” on tour as well as Mahler’s 3rd, Debussy’s Images and Bruckner’s 8th, all newly arranged by the ensemble’s artistic director, Joolz Gale.
Late updated: April 2022
SOLOISTS
VIOLIN
Alejandro Carreño
Youngkun Kwak
Mari Lee
Seiji Okamoto
Kana Sugimura
Mayumi Kanagawa
VIOLA
Wen Xiao Zheng
Itamar Ringel
VIOLONCELLO
Arthur Hornig
CONTRABASS
Johane Gonzales
Todor Marcovic
FLUTE
Etni Molletones
Diego Aceña Moreno
OBOE
Mariano Esteban Barco
Clara Dent
CLARINET
Matic Kuder
Andraž Golob
Simon Degenkolbe
Frederik Virsik
BASSOON
Bence Bogányi
Riccardo Terzo
HORN
Johannes Lamotke
Emanuel Jean-Paul-Matile
Raul Roque
TRUMPET
Tomas Medina
Patrik Hofer
Peter Dörpinghaus
TROMBONE
Jono Ramsay
Lars Karlin
Daniel Téllez Gutiérrez
ACCORDION
Franka Herwig
Goran Stevanovic
PERCUSSION
Alexander Georgiev
Sergei Mikhaylenko
Jan Westermann
Jakob Eschenburg
Felix Mendoza
PIANO & HARMONIUM
Mario Häring
TEAM
OFFICE
Joolz Gale
Artistic Director
Joshua Krüger
Production
Christina Calvelo
Assistant to the Artistic Director / Communications Manager
Aline Anton
Assistant to the Board
MINI-BOSSES
Sir Sebastian Wood
Patron
Joolz Gale
Chairman
Dr. Nicolaus Berlin
Vice-Chairman
Ludwig Erbgraf von Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee
Vice-Chairman