Delirium: /dɪˈlɪrɪəm/ wild excitement or ecstasy
Mission
Delirium Musicum is a self-conducted chamber orchestra dedicated to providing impassioned and engaging musical performances that deeply connect the audience to the musicians. Influenced by the bustling artistic mosaic of LA, the group applies dazzling creativity and limitless excitement to their performances that are known to an ever-growing audience.
Artistic Intent
Delirium Musicum represents the artistic excellence and leadership of the young generation of musicians in Los Angeles. The small size of this ensemble allows the musicians to bond and engage intimately with the audience through dedicated performances that inspire wild excitement and ecstasy. The spontaneity resulting from this approach, as well as their juxtaposition of music from all time periods, creates meaningful human experiences. Creative and unapologetic interpretation of the old masters as well as collaboration with contemporary composers bring a unique voice to the group. Delirium Musicum creates a dialogue about new ways to explore music as it pertains to life.
Biography
Founded in 2018 by violin virtuoso Etienne Gara, Delirium Musicum harnesses the artistic excellence, energy, and leadership of a generation of young musicians in Los Angeles who are forging a rich musical identity nourished by the city’s bustling artistic mosaic and boundary-bending vibe. Their diverse backgrounds (nine countries from four continents represented), their commitment to spontaneity, and the juxtaposition of music from all time periods allows the musicians to engage intimately with the audience to create profound human experiences.
Called “ferocious and rhythmically mesmerizing” by the San Francisco Classical Voice, the musicians of Delirium Musicum are known for their out-of-the-box approach to programming and scintillating live performances. “This exciting young ensemble is a step ahead, ready for anything – virtuosic and versatile.” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times).
The orchestra’s wide-ranging mix of concert performances, tours, and creative musical projects reaches out to audiences of broad tastes and traditions. “Seasons,” the ensemble’s debut album with Warner Classics, was released in April, 2023, and received international accolades:
"They have mastered what musicians world-wide only dream of: connecting deeply with listeners." Gramofon (Hungary)
“Utterly convincing . . . an urgency never before heard.” Luister Magazine (The Netherlands)
“The twenty or so young, globetrotting musicians of Delirium Musicum, full of energy . . . bring the necessary tension to these tempestuous “Seasons.” Diapason (France)
Recent projects include “Treelogy,” a collaboration with leading composers Billy Childs, Steven Mackey, and Gabriella Smith. The three-part work, commissioned by The Soraya in Los Angeles and premiered there in February, 2023, before touring in California, produced three new commissions honoring the iconic California Joshua trees, giant sequoias, and redwoods that were devastated by recent wild fires. The LA Times called it a “sublime, classical ode to California’s redwoods, sequoias and Joshua trees.”
MusiKaravan, an earlier project, followed Gara and fellow violinist YuEun Kim as they took to the road in 2020, after COVID shut down concert venues around the world. Living and traveling in their 1971 VW bus, they spent six months performing socially-distanced concerts for farm workers, winemakers, random passersby – and the occasional ostrich - up and down the West Coast of the U.S., from the Mexican to the Canadian border. The experience and the music were captured on video for their award-winning streaming series “Musikaravan.” The project continues as duo and trio performances of lively repertoire and audience give-and-take.
Engaged in the musical, emotional, and cognitive development of future generations, “Baby Concerts”, with the support of University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute, offer a safe space for parents with infants and toddlers to share an interactive musical moment being introduced to melody, rhythm, music-making, and a short, lightly-curated performance.
A multiple awards-winner, Delirium Musicum recently won the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Award in 3 different categories: Best Chamber Music Ensemble, Best New Music Ensemble, and Best Orchestral Performance for SEASONS at the Soraya in May 2023.