The young East German chamber ensemble [joke] is trying to bring a little utopia to the people: chamber symphonic music for everyone [who fancies it].
They were founded with the idea of creating a sound collective. [Sound&Collective] No conductor. No rigid hierarchies. Instead, around 30 young musicians, a string orchestra and the conviction that classical music can be created differently. Here, responsibility is shared. Every voice counts; everyone helps shape the sound. Without a conductor, you can expect a vibrant chamber music sound that thrives on listening, responding and collaborative creation.
joke see themselves as an alternative: an ensemble that doesn’t ask how to access classical music, but rather where it can take place. From village churches to breweries and festival stages, the ensemble seeks out new encounters. joke takes chamber symphonic music out of its traditional venues and brings it to places where new encounters can happen. An invitation to view classical music not as a tradition, but as a living moment.
A small utopia? Perhaps. Above all, however, an ensemble that demonstrates how making music together can work.