Contemporaneous is a classical music ensemble based in New York City that was founded in 2010 by conductor David Bloom. The ensemble is made up of young musicians who are dedicated to performing contemporary classical music. Contemporaneous has gained a reputation for its innovative programming and its commitment to commissioning new works from emerging composers. David Bloom, the founder and conductor of Contemporaneous, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Yale School of Music. He has conducted orchestras and ensembles around the world, and has worked with many prominent composers, including Steve Reich, John Adams, and Philip Glass. Bloom founded Contemporaneous with the goal of creating a new kind of classical music ensemble that would be dedicated to performing contemporary music and commissioning new works. The ensemble's main members are a group of young musicians who are passionate about contemporary classical music. Many of the members are graduates of top music schools, including the Juilliard School, the Yale School of Music, and the Eastman School of Music. The ensemble is made up of a variety of instruments, including strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and piano. Contemporaneous has performed at many prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. The ensemble has also performed at many festivals, including the Bang on a Can Marathon, the MATA Festival, and the Ecstatic Music Festival. Contemporaneous has collaborated with many prominent composers, including John Luther Adams, Caroline Shaw, and Nico Muhly. One of the highlights of Contemporaneous's career was its performance of John Luther Adams's "Inuksuit" in 2013. "Inuksuit" is a piece for percussion ensemble that is meant to be performed outdoors. Contemporaneous performed the piece in a park in New York City, and the performance was attended by thousands of people. The New York Times called the performance "a triumph of organization and musicianship." Contemporaneous has also gained recognition for its commitment to commissioning new works from emerging composers. The ensemble has commissioned over 100 new works since its founding, and has worked with many young composers who have gone on to become prominent figures in the contemporary classical music world. Some of the composers who have worked with Contemporaneous include Caroline Shaw, Timo Andres, and Andrew Norman. In 2014, Contemporaneous was awarded a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts to support its commissioning program. The grant allowed the ensemble to commission several new works from emerging composers, and helped to solidify its reputation as a leading advocate for contemporary classical music. Contemporaneous has also been recognized for its innovative programming. The ensemble has performed many concerts that feature works by living composers alongside works by composers from the past. This approach has helped to bridge the gap between contemporary classical music and the classical music canon, and has helped to introduce audiences to new and exciting works. In 2016, Contemporaneous was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its performance and commissioning activities. The grant allowed the ensemble to continue its work of promoting contemporary classical music and commissioning new works from emerging composers.

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