The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation has been one of Riot’s most vital and enduring supporters. They were the first international foundation to champion our work with composers—and when they awarded us the inaugural Ensemble Prize in 2020, right at the start of the pandemic, it was more than recognition. It was a lifeline.
We used that support to reshape how we work—creating our first paid, part-time roles for artists on our board to take on administrative responsibilities with and for the ensemble. That structure remains in place today: small and artist-led by design. It keeps us responsive, imaginative and, above all, focused on the work. More than 65% of our turnover goes directly to performers and composers. That’s not just a model, it’s a commitment. We are relentless about turning resources into music, not bureaucracy.
Last weekend, we had the honour of performing at the Foundation’s annual award ceremony, celebrating this year’s brilliant Composition Prize laureates
@bastienmusics @kristinetjogersen and
@ashkan_behzadi . It was our first time working with each of them, and a powerful reminder of what connects us: a belief in music that is borderless, bold, and necessary.
At a time when UK arts funding is under intense pressure—venues closing, opportunities shrinking, and artists being asked to do more with less—moments like this matter. They remind us why we keep going. How resilient, imaginative, and fiercely committed this community is.
💚
Date for your diary: our debut at
@bridgewaterhall for #ManchesterClassical on 28th June with music by current and previous EvS prize winners
@kristinetjogersen &
@dreammmusics 🥳
📸 EvS Music Foundation /
@astrid.ackermann
@evs_musikstiftung @evs_ensembleprize #riotensemble #evsfoundation #newmusic #contemporarymusic #europe #munich #manchesterarts #ensemblelife #collaboration #artistled #musicmatters
