The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation is awarding the Ensemble Prizes ’26 to NO HAY BANDA from Canada and the Ensemble for New Music Tallinn from Estonia. The Prize is endowed with €75,000 and is presented each year to two outstanding young ensembles.
The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation is awarding the ensemble NO HAY BANDA from Canada and the Ensemble for New Music Tallinn from Estonia with the Ensemble Prizes ’26. Out of a strong field of applicants from 13 countries, these two ensembles particularly impressed the jury. Through the Ensemble Prize, the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation supports exceptional emerging ensembles, with the aim of strengthening both artistic and organizational development. The Prize was established in 2020 and is endowed with €75,000 each. Both ensembles will appear at the Warsaw Autumn Festival in September 2026.
Founded in Montreal in 2016 by three musicians, NO HAY BANDA has since grown into a variable ensemble of over ten members. Dedicated to avant-garde music—from its postwar roots to the present day—as well as DIY culture and improvisation, the group blends elements of various popular styles into its work. Its programs are marked by boundless curiosity and sonic experimentation.
NO HAY BANDA is, above all, the people: the musicians, composers, and artists that we work with, our audiences, and the community that surrounds us. The creativity, enthusiasm, and curiosity that everyone contributes inspires and drives our projects, providing us with the energy and motivation to continue to explore the limitless potential of musical performance. – Noam Bierstone, percussionist & artistic director
The Ensemble for New Music Tallinn was founded in 2013 and has since established itself both in Estonia and internationally. The ensemble spans a broad range of contemporary styles and genres, with a particular focus on alternative tuning and microtonal music. Its work is defined by an experimental spirit and a willingness to explore music history while continually opening up new sonic dimensions.
I am deeply grateful to the Ensemble for New Music Tallinn for giving me a rare and enriching opportunity to experience music within a truly unique sound world. It is this sense of discovery that makes contemporary music endlessly fascinating for me. – Talvi Nurgamaa, viola
The Ensemble Prizes will be presented together with the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize 2026 and the three Composer Prizes on May 23, 2026, at the Prinzregententheater in Munich.
Further information is available at evs-musikstiftung.ch, NO HAY BANDA and Ensemble for New Music Tallinn, and on Instagram: instagram.com/evs_musikstiftung
Online applications for the Ensemble Prize ’27 are possible from January 1 to March 1, 2026, at www.evs-musikstiftung.ch.
For further information, questions, and interview requests: Caroline Scholz | +49 89 7805 25406 | presse@evs-musikstiftung.ch