Bálint Kovács

Ensemble Moiré is a multidisciplinary project that brings contemporary artistic disciplines together in a shared form of expression through its own artistic language. Its name and conceptual inspiration come from the moiré effect: overlapping, slightly offset patterns create undulating forms, a visual phenomenon that serves as a metaphor for the power of interplay and mutual influence between different art forms.

With contemporary music as its centre of gravity, the ensemble develops artistic perspectives on current issues. The resulting concert formats broaden conventional ways of experiencing performance and create a direct connection between sound, space and audience.

Led by Gordon Safari, the ensemble specialises in the vocal works of Johann Sebastian Bach, combining a professional vocal ensemble with a period-instrument orchestra.

Its regular concert series in Salzburg, appearances at renowned European festivals and critically acclaimed recordings have earned international recognition. Its releases have been nominated for the Opus Klassik, the German Record Critics’ Award and the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). Meticulous study of the scores and a passion for fresh, unexpected interpretations define its artistic approach.

The Salzburg-based ensemble tone brings together four professional musicians. It uses a variety of instruments to create its special sound, with a rich palette of colours and contrasts. Exploring chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadow, the ensemble combines original works with its own arrangements.

tone:scape has performed at venues including the Vienna Konzerthaus and won first prize in the chamber music competition of the Potsdam Sanssouci Music Festival in 2022.

Blockflute Formation is a project of the Upper Austrian Music School Network, bringing together its teachers in a recorder orchestra. The ensemble prepares and performs challenging repertoire and has also commissioned and premiered new works for this setting. It shares the instrument’s versatility and rich palette of sounds with a wide audience, particularly young recorder players.
The project has been under the artistic direction of Bálint Kovács since 2024.

Ensemble Cameo brings together international musicians specialising in the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Its name refers to an intricately carved gemstone relief, reflecting the care the musicians put into each performance. Their distinctive combination of instruments gives the repertoire a fresh sound.

Cameo organises its own concerts in Salzburg and has also performed at Austrian festivals including the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music and Kultursommer Wien. Alongside traditional repertoire, it has presented forgotten Italian cantatas. Its programmes also feature the Colombian tiple, an instrument from the guitar family, in the context of early music.

The longstanding collaboration between Simplicissimus Ensemble and Bálint Kovács brings rarely heard original Baroque recorder repertoire, and neobaroque works to audiences in Hungary.

The ensemble is directed by Zsombor Németh. Its name honours the German composer and writer Daniel Speer, who published as Hungarian or Dacian Simplicissimus in the 17th century. In his spirit, its programmes span eras, styles and cultures, from art music to popular and folk traditions.