In 2022, pianists Ramon van Engelenhoven and Shane van Neerden and percussionists Agostinho Sequeira and Arjan Jongsma presented at the premiere of Toonzetters at Oranjewoud Festival. This project by composer Primo Ish-Hurwitz included twenty short compositions by as many Dutch composers. The concert marked the start of a widely acclaimed concert series that received much media attention and reached as far away as Italy. Due to the success of the tour and the closeness between them, the musicians decided to continue their collaboration. Oranjewoud Festival will take the young ensemble in tow by coaching and mentoring it in the coming years, providing composition commissions and creating new opportunities.

At this debut concert, the Toonzetters Ensemble will give a musical glimpse into projects planned for the coming years, including Max Knigge’s composition inspired by Béla Bartók’s famous Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a part of which can be heard, in addition to some of Bartók’s work, some of their favorite compositions from Toonzetters and more. In between, the musicians talk about their plans, ambitions and future dreams for the ensemble.

Program:

Toonzetters highlights:
Primo Ish-Hurwitz – The Missing Piece
Tijmen van Tol – The Zealot
Boris Bezemer – Untitled
Melle Heij – Grace
Karmit Fadael – Vereende
Rick van Veldhuizen – les grillons sont d’exquises bruiteurs
Jan-Peter de Graaff – Hammer und Tanz
Max Knigge – Here speaks your conscience (parts 1 and 2) (2024, premiere)
Béla Bartók – Sonata for two pianos and percussion (part 1)