Omnibus Ensemble was established in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 2004 by a group of adventurous young musicians who, as they explained, “shared the aim of performing music never before heard in Central Asia.” The ensemble’s name—omnibus means “for all” in Latin—aptly describes its eclectic range of activities. Under the artistic director- ship of composer, pianist, and conductor Artyom Kim, Omnibus Ensemble has premiered many contemporary works from around the world for local audiences. Alongside their extensive performance calendar, the ensemble has also been active in arts education through their participation in myriad projects, initiatives, masterclasses, and experimental workshops.

These include Maqomat, whose aim is to explore ways to bring the microtonal pitch system and affective language of maqom, a traditional repertory of modally-organised song cycles glossed as “classical” by local musicologists, into relationship with contemporary music. Working closely with singer, tanbur (plucked long-necked lute), and sato (bowed tanbur) player Abror Zufarov and musicologist Otanazar Matyakubov, a specialist in maqom, Omnibus Ensemble aspires to create a level playing field where Central Asian music and musical instruments can engage as equals with musical instruments and musical languages rooted in the West.

Omnibus has also organised or participated in many projects that aim to stimulate new forms of artistic collaboration, among them Mnemosyne, an annual project consisting of a series of intensive practicums, master classes, film screenings, open rehearsals, and brainstorming sessions; Playing Together: Sharing Central Asian Musical Heritage—an intraregional workshop that introduced young musicians to new approaches to improvisation; and Black Box International Festival of Music and Visual Arts, which promotes innovative multimedia projects that combine original live music with poetry, visual art, and film.