"That’s still the best thing about the summer courses, that you can simply overdose on so much music-making of the broadest stylistic provenance.“

Hans Thomalla, Kranichstein Music Prize Winner and Lecturer

A meeting point for composers, interpreters, performers, sound artists, and scholars. For discovery, learning, networking, exchange and debate, collaboration, and – last but not least – invention. This is what the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music have in store. Every two years in the summer, around the clock, for two weeks. Whether attending seminars, workshops, concerts, or lectures, participating in discussions, rehearsals, spontaneously organized events or chance encounters, one is immersed in the music of our time. In a grand discourse that spans borders, generations, and aesthetic differences. With contributions from as many as 300 participants from around the world with completely different cultural backgrounds. Each of them plays a part in determining the character of the courses, brings „his or her“ music, opinions, ideas, and topics along. Together with the most prominent lecturers contemporary music is continually rethought from the ground up,  heard anew – and called into question. Composition, interpretation, and research/scholarship form the three main pillars of the summer courses. To this are added a variety of themes, focused projects, and a variety of concert formats. An additional space for open dialogue is provided by the newly-introduced portion with the working title „Open Space“, which should be dominated by the course participants and their own ideas. On the whole, the 45th International Summer Courses for New Music 2010 strive for an even stronger integration of lecturers, participants, and the individual areas of activity. The free exchange will therefore be expanded and supported (by the organizer of the courses, the International Music Institute Darmstadt (IMD) with a variety of communication opportunities and platforms, such as the community area of the website, which will for the first time be available during the entire two-week course.