Parelduiking (Pearl Diving) goes in-depth to find beautiful pearls of Dutch composers: special works that are barely performed anymore. With a new performance by Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, these forgotten works will be recorded for the first time. Composer Anne-Maartje Lemereis will briefly talk with the four selected composers about their pearls, which will regain their luster during this lunch concert on Friday, December 12, 2025.
“Crop Circle” by Petra Strahovnik is inspired by crop circles: the mystique of their appearance, the clarity of their form, yet the simultaneous ambiguity of their origin. This intertwining of complexity and simplicity is reflected in the music – an art form that, according to Strahovnik, also cannot be captured in words.
The piano trio “3/3” by Martijn Voorvelt is part of a series in which he explores how independent pieces can form a composition. The triptych “3/3” consists of overlapping solo pieces, inspired by historical figures: the violin by Icarus, the cello by Augustine, the piano by Beethoven. Other parts in the series are “4/4” (string quartet), “5/5” (reed quintet), and “6/6” (string sextet). The last performance of the work took place in Rome in 2003.
“L’Ange Maudit” (The Cursed Angel, 2000) by Carlos Micháns premiered at the Concertgebouw. The work for violin and piano balances between elegance, brilliance, and rage. The piece was commissioned by the Oskar Back Foundation as a compulsory work for the 2001 National Violin Competition. Micháns dedicates the piece this time to the violinist Ronald Hoogeveen, who passed away in 2023.
For “Springs Eternal”, Vanessa Lann was inspired by Beethoven’s Spring Sonata, in which he used the violin and piano equally: with no true soloist and no clear accompanist. Similarly, the instruments in Lann’s work also change roles. However, “Spring” takes on a completely different meaning in this performance: the sheet music for the violin is placed on five different stands on the stage, requiring the violinist to turn and walk to each stand while playing.
Genesis
The selection for Parelduiking came about through an open call. Jury members Aad van Nieuwkerk (podcast maker Muziekmakers der Nederlanden, formerly VPRO Vrije Geluiden), Doris Hochscheid (cellist, St. Cello Sonate), and Aljosja Buijs (pianist, head of classical music at ArtEZ Zwolle) arrived at this selection. Parelduiking is a production from Nieuw Geneco in collaboration with New Music NOW, TivoliVredenburg, and is made possible by a donation from the Buma Social Fund.