Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato

Friday, 17 November 2023   |   20:30 - 22:30
Simeon ten Holt

Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato

The magical Canto Ostinato takes you to a new musical dimension: where time does not exist and only an endless space full of vistas remains. The composer, hermit and cult hero Simeon ten Holt wrote this hypnotic piece for four keyboard instruments from 1976 to 1979 in his hometown of Bergen.

Canto Ostinato is minimal music, repetitive music with minimal changes: a kind of musical perpetual motion. The premiere in 1979 in the Ruinekerk in Bergen was a bombshell: some thought it was kitsch, but many fell for the hypnotic sounds.

Attending Canto Ostinato is a mind-expanding trance-like experience, a ritual, it disconnects you from time. A woman gave birth to the rhythm of Canto Ostinato, a DJ tattooed the notes on his arm to commemorate his deceased mother, a man listened and hummed along to the piece during his brain surgery. The play has a large fan base and changed lives.

Prepare for a unique evening. Immerse yourself in the enchanting atmosphere of this concert. Canto is performed on four pianos by four pianists from the Scarbo Pianist Collective, a group of pianist friends who know each other from the conservatories in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

  • Composer(s) Simeon ten Holt
  • Title(s) of the Work(s)

    Canto Ostinato

  • Performer, Ensemble or Orchestra Scarbo Pianistencollectief: Mirjam Karres, Lodewijk Crommelin, Hans-Erik Dijkstra & Martijn Smits

Date

Nov 17 2023
Expired!

Time

20:30 - 22:30

More Info

Read More

Location

Haarlem, Theater De Liefde
Haarlem, Theater De Liefde
Begijnhof 10, 2011 HE Haarlem
Website
https://theaterdeliefde.nl/agenda/

Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato on Spotify

Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato on SoundCloud

Upcoming events

Sunday, 28 September 2025. 14:30 - 17:00

Jan-Peter de Graaff: Hagar, an opera in 4 scenes

On Thursday, May 15th, the Nederlandse Reisopera presented its upcoming season with a brand new opera.  A bold and creative partnership between composer Jan-Peter de Graaff and librettist Eleanor Barlow, Hagar is a daring, modern and fiercely human reimagining of the ancient tale that explores resilience, scandal, and consequence.

Location

Enschede, Wilminktheater
Enschede, Wilminktheater
Noorderhagen 27, 7511 EK Enschede
Website
https://www.wilminktheater.nl/nl/

Sunday, 28 September 2025. 17:00 - 19:00

Calliope Tsoupaki: Poem for an empty world

A new commission for string quartet and piano by the Greek-Dutch composer Calliope Tsoupaki ‘Poem for an empty world’ is inspired by a key element of her homeland: the sea. Her composition will premiere on Saturday, September 28th, at the September Me festival. Enter a world where classical and modern seamlessly merge.

Location

Amersfoort, Flint Theater
Amersfoort, Flint Theater
Coninckstraat 60, 3811 WK Amersfoort
Website
https://flint.nl

Sunday, 28 September 2025. 15:30 - 17:30

Joey Roukens /Theo Smit Sibinga /Maarten Bauer /Henk Badings /Rudolf Escher

When you think of Indonesia, the spicy scents of the oriental kitchen probably come to mind. But perhaps also wajang puppets, chirping monkeys swinging through the jungle, or a volcano that could erupt at any moment. Or the traditional dances in beautiful clothing.

Location

Amsterdam, Waalse Kerk
Amsterdam, Waalse Kerk
Walenpleintje 159, 1012 JZ Amsterdam
Website
https://dewaalsekerk.nl/home/

Our Team’s Picks

Composers in the crosshairs of our attention

magnifiercrosschevron-down