each year, ensemble modern gives approximately 100 concerts and an average of 70 new works, including about 20 premieres. the ensemble was declared a "leuchtturm" or "beacon" of contemporary culture in germany by the german federal cultural foundation in 2003. various tours have taken the group to africa, australia, china, india, japan, south korea, south america, taiwan, russia and the united states. it is regularly represented at major festivals, including inter alia, the salzburg festival, klangspuren schwaz, the berliner festspiele, the lucerne festival, the festival d'automne à paris and the festival ars musica in brussels.