Dutch Composers NOW Reimagining the concert century world. International research practice among outstanding artists and institu- tions points to a way of working that can Dutch Composers NOW is a collabora- ESSAY BY MASA SPAAN be analyzed as Baricco’s horizontal way of tion between Nieuw Geneco (Dutch CURATOR AND PROGRAM DEVELOPER IN signification. In fact, they are already un- Composers Association), Donemus CLASSICAL AND NEW MUSIC derpinning his ideas. Without seeming to Publishing, Deuss Music/Albersen, The traditions and conventions associated have completely discarded old-fashioned GLERUM NICHON VMN Dutch Music Publishers Associa- with classical music came into being in the profundity, their programming exposes tion and Buma Cultuur to promote the nineteenth century. Drawing on the pow- ideas, which give the material, that is in- sion. For Fischer, daughter of the conduc- creation of new music. Together we erful and related principles of formalism trinsically musical, a relevant connection tor Ivan Fischer, the classics were always represent the composers living and and musical autonomy, such principles still with the spirit of our times. going to be at the root of her artistry. She working in the Netherlands; creators of hold sway over much of today’s classical always knew what she wanted to sing, but both complex and accessible, conven- concert practice. As twenty-first century Taken together, it points to a comprehen- all of the previously carved-out paths tionally as well as unconventionally human beings, this ritual seems to have sive strategy, from idea to audience, in were just not for her, she felt. Making her composed music. In this brochure we become an old-fashioned straitjacket. It which programmers make connections own way has meant constant invention. In show you some adventures in Dutch leads us to ask how the revitalization of with various target audiences on qualita- this project Kliphuis gave space for her music. classical music concerts should be car- tively substantive grounds. And it gives own genre-crossing sound and her all- ried out, and why the issue is now so ur- rise to a far-reaching concert dramatur- round performing skills. Supported by a gent. Belonging to a new wave of post- gy, in which we start with the music but slightly and refined stage direction, the postmodern thinkers, the philosopher and revise and also expand the range of con- program reflects a daring overarching Dutch Composers NOW 2018 musician Alessandro Baricco hypothesizes cert ingredient into a deliberately shaped dramaturgic arch that remains true to the Cover photo WannaPlayground that a profound change, a mutation no ensemble of mutual reinforcing elements. essence of the music, but also connects to Design Seppie Groot less, is taking place in contemporary cul- The resultant determining factors are del- themes of our own living environment, ture. In his book The Barbarians: An Es- icate choices like the programme format, and really gets hold of people. The result www.dutchcomposersnow.nl say on the Mutation of Culture (2006), musical themes, the handling of reper- is a very innovative program that is ap- Baricco examines how information tech- toire, collaboration of program develop- pealing to new audiences, but which is nology is altering the way we experience ers with high-quality creative and com- also very appreciated by classical music the world and its arts. He argues for new municatively talented soloists and lovers. forms of signification, meaning, and val- ensembles, links to other genres and dis- ue, in which the old Romantic “vertical” ciplines, characteristics of the venue, the Of course, this is merely one example ideals of depth and profundity are joined set-up, staging, choreography, and the and there are infinite ways to implement by “horizontal” modes, galvanized by an direction of a concert. To illustrate this I this kind of far-reaching concert drama- ever-broader network in which stories would like to refer to a beautiful Dutch ex- turgy. It shows, once again, that it makes Publishing from different worlds come together and ample of this way of working. Last year sense to reimagine the concert practice shape new concert experiences. the young composer Morris Kliphuis, li- and create vibrant forward thinking pro- Baricco’s book makes a bold case for the brettist Otto Wichers (a.k.a. Lucky Fonz grams. As renowned opera intendant Ge- future of our culture. His ideas chart how III), singer Nora Fischer and the Ragazze rard Mortier argues: ‘Real tradition isn’t program developers (curators, musicians, Quartet developed The Secret Diary of consolidated, it consolidates. Tradition composers) can reimagine their concert Nora Plain. The haunting song cycle de- doesn’t mean we have to stay fixed to the practice: how they can create concert picts the intimate and modern life of the rules that were created in the past, but it programs which are true to music, but imaginary Nora Plain through her person- enables us to invent new rules to design which also have a sensibility of today and al diaries and deals with actual themes the future.’ make real connections to our twenty-first like privacy, surveillance and erotic obses- Annelies Van Parys plexity of these differing views as the Kate Moore Usher starting point for this new production. Space Junk CHAMBER OPERA / MUSIC BY CLAUDE Rob Zuidam brings together arrange- ENSEMBLE: ASKO | SCHÖNBERG DEBUSSY / ANNELIES VAN PARYS ments of music from the time of Mary Space Junk by Kate Moore also refers to Since her 2015 opera Private View, based Stuart and music of his own, in which elec- the heavens and universe. However, the on an Alfred Hitchcock film, Belgian com- tronic sounds have a role to play. Zuidam composer approaches the subject from poser Annelies Van Parys has established draws on the sonnets of Joseph Brodsky the ‘space junk’ problem: the environ- her reputation as one of the most inno- about exile and the feeling of being up- mental impact of this waste is enormous. vative composers of contemporary mu- rooted and misunderstood. World Pre- For this work Moore is inspired by an in- sic theatre. Starting with the material miere: 24 May 2018 teractive 3D model that maps out spatial of an uncompleted opera – Debussy left robertzuidam.com / elsandtheartists.be waste left by humans. The work is a swel- behind several libretto drafts, a musical moniquekrus.nl tering harmony of the spheres, but also fragment of about 20 minutes and some the sound of an environmental disaster - sketches – in Usher Van Parys develops a Richard Ayres an exciting spatial story told with graphic chamber music theatre that probes the The Garden novel techniques. Premières on 3 April category of the uncanny in a specific mu- ENSEMBLE: ASKO | SCHÖNBERG 2019 Minimal Music Festival in Amster- sical and theatrical way. Comissioned by The Garden is Richard Ayres’ newest work dam. Commissioned by Asko | Schönberg Staatsoper Unter den Linden and Folko- commissioned by Asko|Schönberg and with the support of Dutch Performing Arts peran Stockholm, selected for the Fedora London Sinfonietta. This song cycle tells (NL). katemoore.org / askoschoenberg.nl award. World Premiere on 16 October the story of a man’s dissatisfaction with 2018. staatsoper-berlin.de life, which compels him to start digging Jan-Peter de Graaff anneliesvanparys.com MUNDI IMAGO in his garden to the center of the earth, De Grens Monique Krüs before beginning an equally surrealistic ENSEMBLE: BUT WHAT ABOUT Anne & Zef journey into the heavens. Artist filmmaker The year is 1918: World War I is nearing its CHAMBER OPERA / MUSIC BY MONIQUE KRÜS Martha Colburn, known for her hallucina- end. The German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm Zef, A 15 year-old Albanian boy is the vic- tory and kaleidoscopic work, creates the II, arrives at the Dutch border as an exile tim of a blood feud. He meets Anne Frank animations for The Garden. Premieres 5 from his own country, seeking asylum in in the afterlife and they find out that they September 2018, Gaudeamus Muziek- the Netherlands. However, the Dutch gov- have a lot in common. Anne loves writing, week in Utrecht (NL). Commissioned ernment was not notified in advance of the Zef likes to act, both had trouble with their by Asko | Schönberg with the support of Kaiser’s arrival and takes its time to decide parents. They tell each other about their Dutch Performing Arts (NL). whether the royal visitor is welcome. A his- lives and grow more and more fond of richardayres.com / askoschoenberg.nl torical event with a contemporary twist, each other. Monique Krüs gathered fame wrapped into a compact chamber opera: Rob Zuidam as a soprano excelling in ultra-modern In my end is my beginning repertoire, then started composing and CHAMBER OPERA / NEW MUSIC & has since taken up conducting as well. ELECTRONICS: ROB ZUIDAM Currently she composes for the Europe- Mary Stuart: vile murderess or proud an Cultural City Malta and Leeuwarden heroine? Interpretations of the tragic 2018. Commissioned by Netherlands Phil- life of probably Scotland’s most famous harmonic Orchestra and Opera Spanga monarch (1542-1587) vary widely. In this Performed by Accademia Nazionale di production Rob Zuidam and the musi- Santa Cecilia (Rome), Theater Bielefeld cians of Imago Mundi take the com- and ISCM World Music Days Beijing 2018. NIEUWENDIJK ADA De Grens is an attractive performance of Janssen and composer Rieteke Hölscher. is silence a condition for a musical storm? 25 to 45 minutes that brings new music Inspired by the “Dutch Light”, Marij Jans- When the arrangers of Calefax are get- close to the audience. The length is flex- sen designed a cloud of people which ting into a score, in a way they are taking a ible because the two scenes can be per- confuses the light and creates strange look inside the head of a composer.