Canto Ostinato is known for its meditative and relaxing atmosphere, but also for its exciting performances that are never the same. It is a piece of music consisting of more than 200 different sections with different variations, intended for one or more pianos. Each section and variation can be played and repeated at will. The musicians decide during the concert how and when they vary. “We are inspired by the moment, the atmosphere and the audience,” says Lestari Scholtes, “every concert is therefore a unique experience. Even if you have heard the piece a hundred times, every performance is different. It is also exciting for us as pianists every time: what are we going to do, and what will it sound like.”

Piano duo Scholtes & Janssens will play Canto Ostinato this fall at seven different locations in the Netherlands, as an ode to the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. Ten Holt would have turned one hundred years old in 2023. Canto Ostinato has become his most famous and beloved work. You can listen to the piece in Amersfoort, Arnhem, Groningen, Tilburg, Naarden or The Hague.