Besides being a pianist and composer, Hans Henkemans also worked as a psychiatrist. His work and thinking revolve around the question of how art—and music in particular—can help process childhood experiences. In his view, poignant events can be “sublimated”: transformed into something higher through a creative process. Shostakovich was a composer par excellence who channeled the feelings of fear and uncertainty of life under the Soviet regime into his compositions. His string quartets can be considered his musical diary. This year marks the 50th anniversary of his death, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. The NJSO (Dutch Youth Orchestra) will perform two of his most remarkable works to commemorate this.

Program:

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Chromatische fantasie (arr: Bernhard v/d Sigtenhorst Meyer)

Willem van Otterloo: Suite for string orchestra

Dmitri Shostakovich: Concert nr. 1 for piano, trumpet and string orchestra (Demian Filatov piano, Albert Baciu / Richard Ranvier trompet)

Hans Henkemans: Concert for piano and string orchestra

Dmitri Shostakovich: String quartet nr. 10 (arr. R. Barshai)