Emerging early music ensembles have until March 2 to apply for the Sustainable EEEMERGING program and receive two years of support to develop their artistic project at an international level. 
By 
The Sustainable-EEEMERGING (S-EEE) program announced on January 17 the opening of applications for the 2026 and 2027 cycles. The goal is to support 10 selected ensembles and their artistic projects, fostering the richness of the European scene while guiding them in the development of sustainable cultural projects at all levels: economic, ecological, socio-cultural, and more.
EEEmerging : ‘Emerging European Ensembles
“The story of EEEMERGING is inextricably linked to that of Ambronay, and thus deeply European.” This is how project coordinator Nicolas Bertrand introduces it. “Ambronay and its Academy were recognized and supported by the European Union as a Cultural Ambassador in 2011 for three years. It was then that the idea arose to create a major project to continue these initiatives beyond that period, also serving smaller ensembles working on lesser-known repertoires. This is how EEEMERGING—Emerging European Ensembles—was born. The program was conceived in 2013 and officially launched in 2014, with the idea of selecting young ensembles and supporting them through all stages and dimensions of their training and artistic growth.”
EEEMERGING later became EEEMERGING+, which has now evolved into Sustainable-EEEMERGING, a four-year European project based on the principle of sustainability, aimed at emerging and passionate Baroque ensembles.
This marks an opportunity to look back at the three-stage evolution of the EEEMERGING program, alongside the Ambronay team and two ensembles that have been deeply immersed and have flourished within it.
Baby Ambronay will grow up
One of the ensembles supported by the program, La Camerata Chromatica, proudly refers to itself as a “Baby Ambronay.” They joined the second phase of the program when EEEMERGING (2014-2018) transitioned into EEEMERGING+ (2019-2023).
For La Camerata Chromatica, the journey has been significant. “We were among the youngest ensembles when we applied in 2019”, explains artistic director Benjamin Delale. “Our ensemble had just been created, we had only performed two concerts, yet we were selected. Since our project was in its infancy, we highlighted the originality of its content, our approach combining vocal and instrumental elements at the core of the ensemble, and the specificity of the music we perform.”
This remarkable springboard also propelled the Polish ensemble Cohaere in a similarly surprising way, as described by harpsichordist Natalia Olczak: “Three years ago, we had just won a competition, and the organizer, Katarzyna Czubek—a key figure in Poland’s early music scene—told us that EEEMERGING would be a perfect fit for us.”
“This program provided us with two essential and complementary elements: visibility and self-awareness, raising questions that, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, led to profound transformations.”
Monika Hartmann from Cohaere Ensemble
Residences
Everything moves quickly thanks to the different aspects of the EEEMERGING program. A key element is the artist residencies—fundamental and formative steps for EEEMERGING, the ensembles, and Ambronay itself, as communication director Marie Isserel explains. The unique character of Ambronay’s site and spaces influences the way music and projects resonate, adds Nicolas Bertrand. These residencies allow for experimentation: for instance, the vocal ensemble Cantoría explored different ways of singing in various spaces, while Into the Winds experimented with performing ancient wind instruments outdoors. They design, adapt, and develop projects tailored to these environments.
The Ambronay Cultural Center has been renovated and structured around the concept of hospitality. When an artist or ensemble arrives at Ambronay, they receive more than just keys and a place to sleep. They integrate into the community, meet staff members, participate in mediation workshops with the local community, and prepare for their final residency concert. The residency thus fosters artistic outreach across the region, bringing in musicians from all over Europe.
These residencies provide us with the most essential, precious and rare resource of all : time for us all to work together in ideal, welcoming conditions, so that we can devote ourselves fully to working on the repertoire. Without EEEmerging+ we wouldn’t have the same musical level in our repertoire at all.
Bérénice Brejon from La Camerata Chromatica
The Ambronay Cultural Center is the “leader” and epicenter of the EEEMERGING project, hosting artists in residence and during its Festival. However, it collaborates with other centers, institutes, and festivals across Europe (UK, Spain, Poland, Italy, Latvia, etc.). “This program allowed us to experience extraordinary residencies” says Benjamin Delale enthusiastically. “At the Papal College in Pavia, our rehearsal space was the Sistine Chapel, complete with frescoes and gilding! In Torroella de Montgrí, we had the chance to go sailing. Ambronay even combines residencies with masterclasses, binging in specialists for multi-day intensive workshops—something we had the privilege of experiencing twice, which we would never have been able to afford otherwise.”
Comprehensive training
While residencies form the heart of the program, they also serve as an opportunity to diversify the training provided to selected ensembles. A holistic 360-degree training program unfolds through masterclasses, conferences, workshops, and sessions covering all aspects of ensemble management. It includes artistic development as well as administrative, production, distribution, communication, and mediation strategies, always with a focus on education and innovation, as highlighted by Bérénice Brejon.
EEEMERGING’s comprehensive training program encourages and supports ensembles in a wide range of artistic endeavors, not only refining their musical practice but also enhancing their ability to engage with audiences. “Certain aspects of musicians’ work are often undervalued and considered secondary, yet these cultural outreach activities are crucial and vital for sustaining musical traditions” says Marie Isserel.
Encounters, exchanges, community
Monika Hartmann, cellist of Ensemble Cohaere, describes how residencies with various partners foster artistic connections: “We spent wonderful time in residence at Ambronay and in Spain, exchanging ideas with other ensembles on artistic and practical matters, observing their rehearsals, and reflecting on new approaches. We even shared concerts. At the Ambronay Festival, we collaborated with La Camerata Chromatica to create a program titled ‘So Far, So Close…’ and later reprised this collaboration. We even organized a flash mob in Croatia with PuraCorda, an ensemble from Amsterdam. These experiences allowed us to meet highly creative and pragmatic artists, receive constructive feedback, and engage in frank and honest discussions. This is incredibly valuable.”
“This model of cooperation and community is at the core of the project” celebrates Nicolas Bertrand. “It is remarkable to see its impact on ensembles and institutions alike: the sharing of expertise, feedback, and collaborative projects. Some musicians even participate in multiple EEEMERGING+ ensembles: violinist Ignacio Ramal, from La Vaghezza, is also a member of The Ministers of Pastime. Additionally, The Ministers of Pastime commissioned a contemporary piece from Mayah Kadish, a violinist from La Vaghezza who is also a composer. Ensembles share concerts, quartets merge into octets, and so on.”
Through this innovative way of working and creating, the EEEMERGING Community continues to grow. This program is not merely a series of projects but the foundation of a collective of artists, production structures, and dissemination networks working together. These connections enable the sharing of experiences, the weaving of artistic collaborations, and the development of alternative touring models beyond traditional circuits. “When we talk about cooperation, it fosters less hierarchical, more horizontal communication. Artists engage directly with one another and with the venues they perform in, which are true partners.
Nicolas Bertrand
Sustainable EEEmerging
And now, the new phase of this project fully embraces the challenges of innovation and sustainable transformation. After EEEMERGING and EEEMERGING+, we now welcome Sustainable EEEMERGING for 2024-2028!
Sustainable refers to sustainability, often translated into French as durabilité. However, this concept is frequently reduced to its ecological meaning—its focus on carbon footprint—while not being sufficiently linked to equally essential issues such as biodiversity, quality of life, and social connections… even though the term encompasses all these dimensions and many more.
The idea is therefore to continue EEEMERGING+, maintaining its effectiveness while enhancing it through these new themes (in which our partners are also highly engaged, some even leading the way).
We aim to explore the notion of a sustainable career through ecological concerns. The goal is to ensure the sustainability of artistic life: how an artist can find balance between personal and professional life, how an ensemble can build richer and more coherent tours within a territory by working with partners and implementing meaningful initiatives. Sustainability is also an economic challenge—for ensembles, artists, and venues alike.
The geographical aspect is equally important: current models of music practice, dissemination, and education are not necessarily well-suited, particularly for historically informed and early music, which is inherently nomadic, allowing for direct transmission, the rediscovery of other local early music traditions, and dialogues with other traditional repertoires.
We also seek to further develop and strengthen our connections and networks with stakeholders from different countries, extending this program even more towards Eastern and Northern Europe—where there are relatively fewer festivals and ensembles. This will help increase the vitality of early music in these regions, creating new opportunities for all artists. The ecosystem thus becomes even more dynamic, expanding and growing.
Nicolas BERTRAND
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