Calliope Tsoupaki: ‘Neverending’ for bassists of Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest

This new work will be performed during a performance by the bassists on Saturday 30 October in Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam, where trumpeter Eric Vloeimans will also play a special role. Part of the programme will be repeated on Sunday 31 October in the NedPhO-Koepel in Amsterdam.

Since 2006, the double bass section of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra has been led by Luis Cabrera, who recently released a CD entitled Canto Interno. ‘The deep sounds of the double bass fall into such fertile ground that you automatically think this is how it should be, and not otherwise’, wrote Luister magazine about this release. Cabrera has played with many symphony orchestras, including the Orchestre National de France, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, with famous conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Kurt Masur and Bernard Haitink. Cabrera teaches at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Codarts Rotterdam. He is also a popular guest teacher worldwide.

Calliope Tsoupaki

Calliope Tsoupaki has held the title Composer of the Fatherland since the end of 2018 and in that capacity has written eleven pieces with mostly current themes. For one of those works, Thin Air, she received the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize 2021 in July. Tsoupaki enjoyed writing an extensive composition for double bass: ‘I think the sound of the instrument is just as beautiful as that of the cello, maybe even more so, because the soloistic register of the double bass is just a bit more melodious and profound. The double bass slides up more difficultly, but that gives an enormous thickness to the sound. I think it’s a shame that the soloistic sound of the double bass is still too little developed, both from the side of the player and from the side of the composers. I want to change that with this piece.’

James Oeis, artistic director of the Dutch Double Bass Festival, is honoured that Tsoupaki has accepted the commission: ‘I find it impressive how she can give shape to urgency and relevance in music. Music that is always beautiful to listen to, great to play and that touches both the audience and the performers. To me, these are the right ingredients for a work that aims to bring an unknown solo instrument like the double bass to the attention of the public. But above all Tsoupaki has an honest and sincere love for the double bass.

About the Dutch Double Bass Festival

The Dutch Double Bass Festival is the festival that shows why the bass is so beautiful. It is the only festival in the world that has a programme around the bass, from jazz and classical to world and pop. With bands, orchestras and soloists; with double bass, bass guitar and viola da gamba. This year, the festival will take place on 29 and 30 October in Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam with performances by Dominic Seldis, Sasha Witteveen and Mike Boddé, Grammy-winners John Scofield and Dave Holland, Derrick Hodge and the Dudok Quartet with James Oesi and Ben Williams, bassist of pop and jazz stars like Common, Maxwell and Q-Tip, among others.

More info about the concert