composer | audio-video designer
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ABOUT
FES ensemble is a brand-new contemporary chamber music collective founded in 2025 and based in Rotterdam.
Led by Italian saxophonist Martina Madini and Portuguese cellist Pedro do Carmo.
The ensemble is dedicated to new music, with a particular focus on commissioning works from emergent composers and expanding the repertoire for this instrumentation.
@Fien van der Spek
meet FES
@Fien van der Spek
MARTINA MADINI
Saxophone
Martina Madini is a classical-contemporary saxophonist and co-founder of the FES Ensemble.
Born in Cremona (IT), she's currently based in Rotterdam. Her repertoire includes contemporary music, mixed media and performative works.
She performs across Europe and has appeared at festivals such as IMPULS Festival in Graz, Opera Forward Festival in Amsterdam, Darmstädter Ferienkurse in Darmstadt, and Dag van de Componist in Rotterdam.​​
Among the other projects, she co-created Che Genere di Musica Ascolti?, a multidisciplinary project developed with saxophonist Francesca Fantini and journalist Elisa Belotti, in collaboration with the Saxiana association.
I don't like teeth-tone!!!
@Fien van der Spek
PEDRO DO CARMO
Cello
Pedro is a Portuguese cellist based in Rotterdam. His artistic practice is mainly grounded in contemporary performance.
His recent projects include collaborations with ensembles such as ConcrèteLab, performing in World New Music Days 25.
He participated in the Impuls Festival (with Alexis Descharmes), and the Research-Led Workshop at the Giorgio Cini Foundation (Venice), mentored by Lucas Fels. He was also selected for the Sond’Ar-te Electric Ensemble Academy, directed by Miguel Azguime.
In collaboration with Eva Aguilar, Lluïsa Paredes and Jasmim Mandillo, Pedro is developing the project “Zeca Afonso – Musical Ètudes for Two Cellos”, funded by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture (DGArtes).
In 2025, he participated in the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt with Lucas Fels and Anssi Karttunen, where he performed solo, presented his research on autonomy in cello-electronics performance, and explored new works with FES Ensemble.
Don't make me scream too much!
@Fien van der Spek
MASSIMILIANO VIZZINI
Artistic coordinator
Massimiliano is an Italian composer, media creator and artistic producer based in Rotterdam.
Recent commissions and collaborations include works for the MIXTUR Festival x Ensemble Fractales (Barcelona, ES), Divertimento Ensemble (Milan, IT), Zubin Kanga for the Gaudeamus Festival (Utrecht, NL), the Opera Forward Festival at Dutch National Opera & Ballet (Amsterdam, NL), Latvian Radio Choir (Riga, LV), Darmstädter Ferienkurse (Darmstadt, DE), Musiikin Aika (Viitasaari, FI), MotoContrario Ensemble (Trento, IT), Vlaams Radiokoor (Bilzen, BE), Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival (Helsinki, FI), Bled Contemporary Music Week (Bled, SL), Dag van de Componist x DoelenEnsemble (Rotterdam, NL), Papagena Vocal Ensemble (UK), TRT Orchestra (Turin, IT), Sounding Here Festival at Batavierhuis (Rotterdam, NL).
Don't touch my agenda and everything will be fine...
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