Broken Frames Syndicate is an eleven-piece ensemble of soloists based in Frankfurt am Main dedicated to the interpretation of contemporary music and the expansion of contemporary concert culture. The ensemble was awarded the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation Ensemble Prize in 2024 for its innovative projects and unmistakable waves already being felt in the frequencies of contemporary music.
Broken Frames Syndicate was founded in 2018 after a year studying together at the International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA). This intensive time has resulted in a strong ensemble bond, freedom while on stage, and fresh interpretations of modern classics and new works. After their studies, the ensemble dove into the freelance scene establishing themselves as a group built on pursuing socially relevant concert programs, collaboration with interdisciplinary artists, and working with young composers.
Since 2021 Broken Frames Syndicate have been in residence at the Netzwerk Seilerei which has given them the opportunity to tie together their founding principles and opened new avenues for artistic freedom. In their new home, they created Misfits Gaze, a concert series that conceptually draws attention to social issues and offers a counter to the norm. The Seilerei also gave them room for experimentation with space resulting in the choose-your-own-adventure interactive video opera “Kairosis” and “Anwesend”, an installation concert in which the musicians meet live and online while the audience moves through the space to experience the piece.
In addition to their presence in Frankfurt, Broken Frames Syndicate also regularly performs throughout Germany and abroad including Mixtur Festival Barcelona, Intersonanzen, the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, and an ongoing collaboration with the TimeArt Studio in Taiwan. In 2024, they made their USA debut at Harvard University and Roulette Intermedium in New York City and performed at the Beethovenfest Bonn.