After working with the great German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen from the years 1999 through 2001, ES was presented at the composer's annual Stockhausen-Kurse where their performances of his works brought high acclaim. Stockhausen presented ES with a personal recomendation:
"The
piano/percussion duo of Michael Fowler and Stuart Gerber (Ensemble Sirius)
is an extremely versatile and dedicated partnership. These musicians are of
the highest caliber and possess both the aesthetic appreciation and technical
prowess t realise my works to the standards that I envisioned them. I have
worked with the ensemble and was impressed with their understanding and commitment
to the many demands of my works. I commend these musicians to you, and have
confidence in their ability to realise any of my works they seek to program.Few
musicians have sought out and dealt with the larger issues and intricacies
that my musical vision encompasses, it is refreshing
and surprising that such
a duo is able to bring to a wider (particularly American) audience my music,
replete not only with technical perfection, but the correct aesthetic approach.Their
knowledge of my work has given them an interpretive insight that will properly
disseminate and maintain the correct performance practice that I began with
the original Stockhausen-Group. I see their interpretations as solidifications
of excellence and ones that will help create a definite performance institution."
Sincerely,
Karlheinz Stockhausen
