Chamber choir NEXT and guitarist Stefan Gerritsen perform versatile contemporary music for choir and guitar by mostly Dutch composers

Works for choir and guitar by Nobre, Vasks, Micháns, Dykstra, Van Woudenberg, Ešenvalds, Brouwers and a world premiere by Diederik van der Laag, among others

Chamber choir NEXT explores unusual compositions for choir and guitar in Llanto de la guitarra (‘cries of the guitar’) together with versatile guitarist Stefan Gerritsen. Led by Fokko Oldenhuis, voice and string melt together in a programme based on contemporary compositions for choir and guitar by mostly Dutch composers, some rarely performed. The interplay of choir, acoustic and electric guitar guarantees beautiful sounds and captivating stories.

For this programme, Chamber Choir NEXT and Stefan Gerritsen selected music that maximises the possibilities of choir and guitar and lets both singers and guitar shine. Lowell Dykstra, for instance, expresses the mysterious attraction of the guitar in La guitarra and in Yanomani by Marlos Nobre the cries of an indigenous Brazilian tribe can be heard after the death of its shaman. Rijndert van Woudenberg wrote a composition for choir, guitar and wine glasses, and in Vask’s impressive Piedzimsana, the choir sings of the birth of the sun. Diederik van der Laag is writing a new commissioned work for choir and guitar for Chamber Choir NEXT.

Pēteris Vasks (*1946) Klusās dziesmas (Stille Liederen), Piedzimšana (Geboorte)
Diederik van der Laag (*1991) Midsummer Night (wereldpremière)
Lowell Dykstra (*1952) La guitarra
Carlos Micháns (*1950) Salmo XIX
Wilko Brouwers (*1957) Delen uit cyclus Intieme gesprek
Ēriks Ešenvalds (*1977) Leaves
Rijndert van Woudenberg (*1967) You cannot travel within and stand still without
Marlos Nobre (*1939) Yanomani

Chamber choir NEXT

Chamber Choir NEXT is a choir with young, ambitious singers who make music together at a high level. The group was founded in 2015 and is still led by permanent conductor Fokko Oldenhuis. The choir performs varied and challenging programmes of diverse music in its home city of Utrecht and beyond. To this end, NEXT regularly collaborates with professional musicians and contemporary composers, but also with artists from other disciplines, such as dancers and writers.

Previous projects by Chamber Choir NEXT include a concert series with Jan Terlouw, a crossover concert with a dancer duo and a concert in a quiz format around the celebration of 900 years of Utrecht’s city rights. The choir was part of an international choir festival in Croatia and the Festival Nieuwe Muziek in Utrecht, has been a guest of Podium Witteman and has been heard on Radio 1 and Radio 4.

Stefan Gerritsen

“A grandiose guitarist,” wrote the Volkskrant in 2016. Stefan Gerritsen is a versatile classical guitarist with a repertoire ranging from early music to the latest compositions, not infrequently dedicated to him. In addition, he does not shy away from adventure and initiates new projects to expand the repertoire for classical guitar, not only for solo guitar, but also for special combinations, such as guitar and vocal ensemble.