Ensemble Modern has been named the recipient of the “Silver Lion” at the 2024 Biennale Musica di Venezia.

In addition to the ensemble’s award, composer Rebecca Saunders receives the “Golden Lion” for Lifetime Achievement. Starting off the celebrations, on Sept. 26, Ensemble Modern opens the festival at the Teatro la Fenice with the Orchestra del Teatro under the baton of Tito Ceccherini, performing Saunders’ “Wound.” On Sept. 28, Ensemble Modern performs Saunders’ “Skull” at the Teatro Piccolo Arsenale, with Bas Wiegers conducting. Both pieces will be Italian premieres.

The awards ceremony for the “Golden Lion” and the “Silver Lion” are set for Sept. 27 and 29, respectively at the Sala delle Colonne at Ca’ Giustinian, the headquarters of La Biennale. The ceremonies take place as part of the 68th International Festival of Contemporary Music.

Saunders’ has written several choral works, solo and duo pieces, chamber works, and is in the process of writing an opera. In 2020, she was an Ivors Composer Award nominee for her work “Scar.” Saunders’ music has been published by Edition Peters since 1997

Ensemble Modern, has been performing since 1985 at the Biennale Musica di Venezia. Lucia Ronchetti, director of the Music Department said in a press release, “For the fearless and courageous creation of musical projects in collaboration with the most interesting and acknowledged composers and performers in the fields of media and different musical languages. In its 44 years of activity, the Ensemble has distinguished itself for its curiosity, energy, innovation, virtuosity and the passion with which it has dedicated itself to every new project. Unlike other historic ensembles dedicated to new music, the Ensemble Modern has a democratic organizational structure that allows all the members of the ensemble to discuss and together choose the new productions and performance engagements, which makes their interpretations passionate and precise. Their attitude towards composers from around the world is professional and respectful, both in the case of emerging young composers and of great established composers. The members of the ensemble are soloists with different and contrasting personalities, and each of them responds to the demands of the new music in a different way, creating a complex multiform dialogue that enriches the compositional experience and stimulates research and creativity.”

Previous Silver Lion winners include Vittorio Montalti and Francesca Verunelli (2010), RepertorioZero (2011), Quartetto Prometeo (2012), Fondazione Spinola Banna per l’Arte (2013), Ryo Murakami (2016), Dai Fujikura (2017), Sebastian Rivas (2018), Matteo Franceschini (2019), Raphaël Cendo (2020), Neue Vocalsolisten (2021), Ars Ludi (2022), and Miller Puckette (2023).