Ulysses
Aldeburgh Music
Cooperation Projects
England
2016
Total project grant (euros)
2,000,000
Programme
Creative Europe
Sub-programme
Culture
Call number
EACEA 29/2015
Project date
1 Jun 2016 - 31 May 2020
Number of partners in project
13
Lead organisation
Institut De Recherche Et De Coordination Acoustique Musique, France
Partners
Flagey Vzw, Brussels
Stichting Gaudeamus Muziekweek, Netherlands
Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt, Germany
Impuls - Verein Zur Vermittlung Zeitgenoessischer Musik, Austria
Fondation Royaumont, France
Viitasaaren Kesaakatemia Ry, Finland
Hochschule Fuer Musik Und Theater Hamburg, Germany
Stiftelsen Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, Norway
Sihtasutus Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoor, Estonia
Divertimento Ensemble, Italy
Aldeburgh Music, UK
Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie E.V., Germany
The Ulysses project was inspired by 18th Century artists who wandered Europe, visiting the greatest masters’ workshops in order to improve their skills. Following the steps of the Homeric hero, their odyssey was an initiatory journey paving the way for future generations of young European artists. Today Europe’s singularity is characterised by the rich diversity of artistic situations and sociological contexts. The Ulysses “journeys” aims to exploit this.
Ulysses aims to give the “journey” a more metaphorical meaning too.
1. Professional development
Firstly, the metaphor refers to the “professional journey” young musical talent must undertake in order to become mature artists. Ulysses aims to propose “paths” that will enable young artists to find their way from the academies, through the journeys that ultimately will put them in a position to be offered commissions for creating new works to be premiered in world-class venues, thus serving as a launching pad for their careers.
2. Discovery and talent
Secondly, the metaphor applies to potential young artists where the goal is to propose a “journey” that will take them from the discovery of new art forms to a stage where they can become creative themselves in a variety of projects fitted to their needs, thereby revealing their talent.
3. Building audiences
Thirdly, the metaphor applies to audience building. Audiences today are confronted with a bewildering variety of musical aesthetics and practices. Audiences of all ages will be offered activities that will take them from a first encounter with an artist (or a work) to a deeper understanding of the work.
4. Online platform
Lastly, the metaphor will be deployed in the virtual world of the online Ulysses Platform by enabling music professionals and amateurs to follow the evolution and accomplishments of young artists.



