The Nadar Ensemble was founded in 2006 by a group of young musicians sharing a mutual passion for contemporary music. The name of the ensemble was chosen as a reference to the real Nadar, a pseudonym of Gaspard-Félix Tournachon (1820-1910), whose multidisciplinary and adventurous spirit the ensemble wishes to share. Besides being a well-known photographer and balloonist, the historical Nadar was also a caricaturist, spy, art critic and much more. He regularly organized informal “salons” to which he invited artists, thinkers, writers and scientists, thus creating a cross-disciplinary dialogue.

Nadar aims to present concerts of high quality, defending and creating works by composers of the youngest generation, both from Belgium and abroad.

This is why it has set up long-term projects with several composers such as Stefan Prins (1979), Daan Janssens (1983), Johannes Kreidler (1980), Martin Schüttler (1974), Simon Steen-Andersen (°1976), Alexander Schubert (1979), Michael Maierhof, Michael Beil. Moreover, the Nadar Ensemble seeks alternatives and additions to the common concert form, in order to stimulate a more profound dialogue between composer, score, musicians and audience.

Thanks to its clear artistic choices, a close collaboration with the composers and intensive rehearsal periods with a fixed core ensemble, Nadar has managed to establish a unique profile in Belgium and abroad within a few years. Nadar ensemble has been invited to play at several important concert halls and festivals, both national and international, such as Ars Musica (2008 and 2009, works by Furrer, Janssens, Sánchez-Verdú, Steen-Andersen, Prins, Verstockt), De Nieuwe Reeks (2008, a portrait of Olga Neuwirth), De Handelsbeurs in Ghent (2009), De Bijloke, Ghent (2009), the Concertgebouw in Bruges (2010), Harvest Festival Denmark (2009), the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt (July 2010, July 2012), Festival Musica Strasbourg (October 2010), TRANSIT festival (October 2010), Tzlil Meudcan (Tel Aviv, 2011), Donaueschinger Musiktage 2012, ...