Parelduiken (Pearl Diving) gives you an insight into special music by Dutch composers. Music that stood out to music professionals and the public, but is no longer heard often. In this program we unearth the most beautiful pearls and give them shine again in a brand new version. The pieces are also being recorded for the first time. Aad van Nieuwkerk presents and discusses their artistic motivations with the composers.

With Fear and Growing Silence for piano solo, Kris Oelbrandt (1972) reported on a personal quest. The two parts of his piano cycle Catharsis are inspired by the Rules of Benedict, which he experienced up close as a monk. He expressed part of his journey from a turbulent life to the serene balance in the monastery.

Wasser on Lsjoen is part of the Yiddish song cycle, which Caroline Ansink (1959) composed with a text by Malka Heifetz Tussman. She dedicated the cycle to mezzo-soprano Jard van Nes, who successfully toured with it at home and abroad in the 1990s. Her performance at Carnegie Hall received a rave review in the New York Times.

In Book of samples: ‘zero in/zero out’ (2021-2023) for piano and bass clarinet, Christina Viola Oorebeek (1944) shows how you can weave textiles with music. In a historical sample book from the Parisian textile manufacturer Fortin from 1825, she saw intriguing patterns that she translated into layered and repetitive musical structures.

Renske Vrolijk (1965) wrote her song cycle True Love in response to Donald Trump’s first term as president. Several topics are discussed: women as sex objects, the #MeToo movement and the issues surrounding gender and power.

The program council consists of Aad van Nieuwkerk (VPRO), Doris Hochscheid (cellist, St. Cello Sonata), Aljosja Buijs (pianist, head of classical music Artez Zwolle), David Dramm (composer, Splendor) and Jo Sporck (composer, Nieuw Geneco) .

Parelduiken is an initiative of Nieuw Geneco – society of Dutch composers in collaboration with VPRO Vrije Geluiden and New Music NOW, and is made possible thanks to a donation from the Buma Social Fund.

Program:

Kris Oelbrandt – Fear and Growing Silence from the piano cycle Catharsis (2012)

Caroline Ansink – Wasser on Lsjoen from the Yiddish song cycle (1995) with text by Malka Heifetz Tussman

Christina Viola Oorebeek – Book of Samples: ‘zero in/zero out’; (2021-2023)

Renske Vrolijk – True Love and The Gun in My Pocket from True Love Song Cycle (2018)

Free entrance