ModComFest 2026 Comes to a Triumphant Close with Final Orchestral Concert in Barcelona
For this closing evening, violinist María Florea (Spain) once again took centre stage alongside the Franz Schubert Filharmonia as both soloist and conductor, bringing the orchestral portion of ModComFest 2026 to a close.
The final programme brought together three works closely connected by their dialogue between contemporary music and the Baroque tradition. At its heart was Richter’s Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, his celebrated reimagining of one of the most recognisable works in the classical repertoire, which was presented alongside Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air and Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto alla Rustica in G Major, RV 151, creating a fitting musical framework with which to conclude a festival devoted to a composer renowned for finding new ways of engaging with classical heritage.
The programme also provided an apt summation of one of the themes that has run throughout ModComFest 2026. Across the festival, Richter’s works have been heard alongside music from different periods of the classical tradition, highlighting the continuing conversation between composers of the past and those writing for audiences today. Recomposed perhaps embodies that idea more directly than any other work presented during the festival, retaining a recognisable connection to Vivaldi while transforming the familiar score through Richter’s own musical language.
Reflecting on the conclusion of the festival, Konstantin Ishkhanov, President of ModComFest, stated that:
“Reaching the final concert is always a special moment, because it gives us the opportunity to look back at everything that has taken place over the course of the festival. Over these nine days, we have experienced Max Richter’s music in intimate chamber settings and on the orchestral stage, interpreted by an exceptional group of musicians. I am deeply grateful to every artist, partner, and audience member who has been part of this journey, and I believe this edition has once again demonstrated just how much contemporary music has to offer when it is given the space and attention it deserves!”
Indeed, the final notes at the Palau de la Música Catalana brought to an end a six-concert programme that had encompassed three chamber performances at the Hospital de Sant Pau, followed by three orchestral evenings at the Palau. Through these contrasting settings, ModComFest sought to offer audiences an in-depth portrait of Richter’s music, while continuing the festival’s wider mission of placing the composers who are shaping the sound of the present day firmly at the centre of the classical music conversation.
