Orchestra 2001 Tickets

Music

Orchestra 2001 is a contemporary music ensemble that operates out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although modern classical works are the cornerstone of Orchestra 2001's repertoire, their range extends far beyond that of traditional instrumental music.

The ensemble was founded in 1988 by James Freeman, who still serves as its artistic director and conductor. The orchestra takes its name from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 science fiction epic, which imagined a future world where computers ruled every aspect of human life. This speculative vision is reflective of Orchestra 2001's adventurous spirit, as the ensemble constantly seeks to push the boundaries of what is possible through music.

At its core, Orchestra 2001 is committed to bringing audiences the most exciting, challenging, and innovative classical compositions being composed today. The ensemble has commissioned hundreds of new works from some of the world's most respected and revolutionary composers, including John Adams, Thomas Ades, George Crumb, Osvaldo Golijov, Louis Andriessen, and Joan Tower, among many others. These composers' pieces are, in Freeman's words, "anything but standard fare."

Orchestra 2001 performs both locally and internationally and has earned numerous awards and honors for its contributions to contemporary music. However, Freeman's innovative approach has not always been met with universal acclaim. Indeed, he has faced criticism from those who argue that his focus on contemporary music undermines the importance of classical music.

But these critics couldn't be more mistaken. Although Orchestra 2001 may be known for its cutting-edge programming and forward-thinking philosophy, it remains firmly rooted in tradition. Just as Beethoven broke with Mozart when he forged the Romantic style, so too do contemporary composers like those featured in Orchestra 2001 stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before them. Contemporary composers have absorbed - or rejected - the classic styles of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and others to create new symphonies, concertos, operas, and chamber works that define our time.

In fact, the notion that contemporary classical music and traditional classical music are somehow mutually exclusive is a fallacy. Every great composer from the past six centuries (at least) was once "contemporary," writing music that spoke to the present moment in history. And just as audiences of previous generations fell in love with Mozart or Beethoven, so too do audiences today continue to be moved by the inspired works of living composers who speak to the here and now.

Orchestra 2001 is not simply about playing contemporary music for the sake of novelty. Rather, it is about celebrating the creativity, diversity, and vitality of orchestral music in the twenty-first century. Indeed, Orchestra 2001 plays an important role in preserving the tradition of classical music by inspiring composers to create new works that resonate with audiences in the same way that the great works of the past still do. In this sense, Orchestra 2001 can be seen as a bridge between the classical music of the past and the avant-garde music of the future.