impuls

The International Ensemble and Composers Academy for Contemporary Music – impuls – is a place where music, learning and art come together to inspire. Founded by composer Beat Furrer and violinist and conductor Ernst Kovacic, the festival brings together artists and musicians to share ideas, to inspire art lovers and, perhaps most importantly, to educate.

Musicians from more than fifty countries come to impuls to study both the theory and practice of contemporary music. Helping young musicians get started, and then grow their reputations in the music industry, impuls brings top practitioners from around the globe to tutor and mentor this next generation of musical influencers as they perfect their craft.

Every two years, impuls holds a two-week festival in the Austrian city of Graz. Renowned as well as young musicians and composers are invited from all over the world to take part in a series classes, workshops, lectures and concerts. With this program of events, the impuls Festival hopes to give the young musicians comprehensive support as they explore their musical skills, interests and destinies.

The AVL Cultural Foundation has been a long-time supporter of the educational activities of the impuls Festival. By supporting musical learning with the commissioning of new compositions and by hosting the festival’s opening concert at the Helmut List Halle, the Foundation and impuls hope to launch the careers of many new musical talents today and in the future.