The film offers a direct glimpse into the work of the Ensemble Modern and follows the musicians not only on stage but, above all, during rehearsals—the very place where music is created.

Through focused creative processes, we hear how a shared musical language takes shape: through exploration, rejection, and renewed engagement. The focus is on works by influential composers such as Rebecca Saunders, Heiner Goebbels, and Mark Andre, as well as the perspectives of a younger generation, including Brigitta Muntendorf and Milica Djordjevic. 

The film makes this process visible and tangible, while also offering insight into the artistic questions that shape contemporary music today. The result is a portrait of an ensemble as a living organism—driven by individual artistic voices, collective precision, and ongoing collaboration with conductors such as Ingo Metzmacher and Enno Poppe.

Each year, “Ensemble Modern” rehearses and performs around 70 works, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is audible. “Ensemble Modern – Why We Play” presents music not merely as a performance, but as a process and a shared search for expression in our time.

Tickets are 9 euros, 8 euros for reduced-rate admission, and 7 euros with the Wiesbaden Filmkunstkarte; they are available online at wiesbaden.de/caligari (opens in a new tab) or at the box office at the Caligari FilmBühne, Marktplatz 9, Wiesbaden.