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DCV 002 – Simeon ten Holt: Canto Ostinato

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DCV 002

Simeon ten Holt

Canto Ostinato
Arielle Vernède, Gerard Bouwhuis, Gene Carl and Cees van Zeeland
Donemus webshop

Canto Ostinato

voor toetsinstrumenten, 1976-79
Simeon ten Holt
Year of composition:
1979

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Duration:
00:00:00
Publisher's Number: 03360
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Composer

Simeon ten Holt

Simeon ten Holt was born in Bergen on January 24, 1923. He studied piano and theory with Jakob van Domselaer (1890-1960). In 1949 he moved to Paris where he received lessons at the École Normale with Arthur Honegger and Darius Milhaud. From 1970 to 1987 he taught contemporary music at the Academy of Visual Arts in Arnhem.
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DCV 005 Simeon ten Holt Horizon Polo de Haas, Yoko Abe, Fred Oldenburg and Margaret Krill
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In 2023 Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt would have turned 100. For this occasion, Sandra and Jeroen van Veen will perform his most famous work on Sunday 19 February in the Muziekcentrum: Canto Ostinato. The composer preferred their performance to the other existing piano versions.
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Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato is to hear in a performance by Matangi Quartet in the series ‘Music on the Rotte’
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The most famous modern-classical work performed on two grand pianos. In 2023, the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt would have turned 100. As a tribute, Sandra and Jeroen van Veen will perform his most famous work, which they have also put on CD several times: ‘Canto Ostinato’.
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This is the start of the national celebration of the 100th birthday of Simeon ten Holt.
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Two church organs and a piano will be played on Friday 28 October in the Sint Willibrorduskerk in Deurne during the performance of the Canto Ostinato.
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January 24th marks exactly 100 years since Simeon ten Holt was born. He became best known to the general public for his composition Canto Ostinato. KunstNetTV made a short film portrait about Simeon ten Holt in 2012.
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Canto Ostinato (1977-1979) is Simeon ten Holt’s most famous work and its popularity has only increased. Canto was created while playing on the keyboard and Ten Holt preferred to refer to the structure as the development of a genetic code.
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“Canto Ostinato,” a keyboard piece by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt made of overlapping layers and repeated patterns, has amassed a cult following — in the Netherlands, at least. In “About Canto,” a 2011 documentary directed by Ramón Gieling, people talk about the piece’s impact on their lives: a former D.J.
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he internationally renowned pianist Jeroen van Veen will play works around Canto Ostinato on Sunday 23 April. The most famous modern-classical work for keyboard instruments performed on only one grand piano by Jeroen van Veen. This music can change lives, as shown in the movie Over Canto.
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Natalon Kwartet plays Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt
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Electronic performance by Jurgen Simpson of Canto Ostinato in The Sugar Club, Dublin, on 20th April 2023 for New Music Dublin.
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Simeon ten Holt took a new path in the early 1970s with Canto Ostinato. The repetitive score grew into a true cult work and has many versions and arrangements.
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On Saturday 13 May at 20:00 the Simeon Quartet will play Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt in Musis Arnhem. This concert is also the release of their new CD.
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A Ligconcert® in the former main post office on the Neude in Utrecht! The library of Utrecht is located here and after closing time this will be the stage for a Ligconcert®. Enter this imposing Great Hall in Utrecht, an iconic and monumental building from 1924 right in the center.
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The Reformed Church Community of Arlesheim invites you to the performance of Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt on the Long Night of the Churches, played on organ and grand piano. In addition, texts by medieval mystics are heard.
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Canto Ostinato, a piece with cult status in the Netherlands, was composed in 1979 for one to four keyboard instruments by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. It is a ‘filling evening’ piece, without interruption, in a tonal, minimalist style.
Read more
Canto Ostinato, a piece with cult status in the Netherlands, was composed in 1979 for one to four keyboard instruments by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. It is a ‘filling evening’piece, without interruption, in a tonal, minimalist style.
Read more
Saturday 17 June will be concluded with a special performance of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato by hip-hop group Vuuur! With, among others, Sem Hulsmann, a nineteen-year-old multi-talent from Utrecht. His strengths lie mainly in inventing polyphonic vocal lines and writing his own lyrics.
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In the recently painted St. Vitus Church on the Melkpad, the meditative sounds of the Canto Ostinato, the masterpiece of composer Simeon ten Holt, will soon be heard. Those interested can, if desired, lying on a mat they brought themselves, enjoy the music.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt in original version for four piano’s at the annual international festival NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST 2023 in USA.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt in original version for four piano’s at the annual international festival NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST 2023 in USA.
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Composed by the Dutchman Simeon ten Holt, Canto Ostinato is a unique work. Originally written for keyboard instruments, it can be performed by different ensembles and also by more or fewer performers, the most common version being for two or four pianos.
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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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
Canto Ostinato by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt (1923 – 2012) became an absolute classic hit after its premiere on April 25, 1979 in the Ruïnkerk in Bergen. The music has a hypnotic effect. In traditional classical music, development, climax and build-up play a leading role.
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Want to wake up quietly on Sunday morning with nice mellow minimal music? This neo-classical Early-Bird lying concert© that we organize in collaboration with ArtUnorganized offers you exactly that. Enjoy both the Canto Ostinato and Einaudi’s best work on Sunday morning, December 3.
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Canto Ostinato by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt is the most beloved Dutch work in minimal music. Although the piece is usually played on two or four pianos, there are also performances on other instruments. Canto Ostinato consists of several short musical cells that are repeated; The players themselves determine how often this happens.
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Canto Ostinato, a piece with cult status in the Netherlands, was composed in 1979 for one to four keyboard instruments by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. It is a ‘full evening’ piece, without interruption, in a tonal, minimalist style.
Read more
On March 15 and 16 there will be 4 beautiful concerts by the Simeon Quartet during Catharina’s Winter. They play the piece Canto Ostinato on 4 large grand pianos in the dynamically illuminated Catharina Church on the Simonsplein in Doetinchem. The location and atmosphere make this concert extra special.
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The legendary work for four pianos is in the best hands with the Simeonkwartet, which specializes in Ten Holt’s oeuvre.
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For the fifteenth year in a row, the Natalon Quartet (formerly Rondane Quartet) will play two works by the Bergen composer Simeon ten Holt in De Duif.
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Goede Rede Concerten celebrates International Piano Day between March 28 and April 7 with no fewer than six concerts in Goede Rede and Kunstlinie. The program varies from piano solos and a piano duo to a carillon performance.
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Canto Ostinato will be performed on April 7, 2024 in the ODAPARK in Venray. In an intimate setting the pianist plays the Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt. Jeroen (photo) has been an advocate of his music for many years and also knew the composer very well. He visited the composer almost every week.
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Pianists Sandra & Jeroen van Veen (photo) play the well-known Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt in their own version. The reclining concert® in the Maritime Museum under the enchanting glass roof, illuminated with no fewer than 10,000 sparkling lights, is a magical experience.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt has inspired the French choreographer Martin Harriague to make a new dance production ‘Crocodile’ which will take place in September and November in the theaters of France.  Four years after Fossil, a duo inspired by the ecological emergency and the links between man and his planet, Martin Harriague once […]
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt has inspired the French choreographer Martin Harriague to make a new dance production ‘Crocodile’ which will take place in September and November in the theaters of France.  Four years after Fossil, a duo inspired by the ecological emergency and the links between man and his planet, Martin Harriague once […]
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt will be performed on three piano’s by Trio Ostinato in Huis Wylerberg, Beek-Ubbergen.
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Canto Ostinato is by far the most popular classical work of Dutch origin. It is music that changes lives, as seen in the film About Canto.
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A tradition that we continue with love: Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato in January in the Great Hall of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Faithful interpretors of the work are Jeroen and Sandra van Veen.
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It is a golden combination: the Canto Ostinato, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Jeroen and Sandra van Veen.
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‘Canto Ostinato’ is Simeon ten Holt’s best-known work. It is a series of parts. The musicians choose how they play and with what dynamics. In ‘Canto Ostinato’ the sounds merge and that produces a fascinating landscape about which Ten Holt said: “Time becomes the space in which the musical objects float”.
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Metropolis Ensemble and Brooklyn Botanic Garden presents Biophony: Solstice in sweeping sunrise and sunset performances of minimalist Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt’s lyrical gem, Canto Ostinato.
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Metropolis Ensemble and Brooklyn Botanic Garden presents Biophony: Solstice in sweeping sunrise and sunset performances of minimalist Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt’s lyrical gem, “Canto Ostinato.” This World Premiere arrangement (2023–24 Metropolis Ensemble commission) from composers Benjamin Wallace, Ledah Finck, and David Leon features pianist Erik Hall, Sandbox Percussion, strings, keyboardists and wind players from Metropolis Ensemble, and […]
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Canto Ostinato is a tonal composition of variable length for keyboard instruments by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt (1923-2012). The piece was composed between 1973 and 1976 under the name Perpetuum. A few months before the first performance, the title Canto Ostinato was chosen.
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The masterpiece by a Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. The reclining concert® in the Maritime Museum under the enchanting glass roof, illuminated with no fewer than 10,000 sparkling lights, is a magical experience.
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Traditionally, the Orgelpark presents a number of concerts that focus on repetitive music during the first weekend of October: minimal music.
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VERTIXE SONORA is performing the iconic work Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. This masterpiece will be presented in Santiago de Compostela on three pianos and a synthesizer inspired by the setting of the first performance (three pianos and organ) in 1976.
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Haruna Takebe 6th Year Final Extraordinary Concert of Play Music School 2024 presents: four pianists together to perform a masterpiece of 20th century minimalism.
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Canto Ostinato Botanicus In the beautiful garden of Studio Wollebrandshof in the historic center of Culemborg, Annemieke IJzerman, Esther Doornink and Peter Elbertse play the Canto Ostinato by composer Simeon ten Holt on harp and two marimbas.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt has inspired the French choreographer Martin Harriague to make a new dance production ‘Crocodile’ which will take place in September and November in the theaters of France.  Four years after Fossil, a duo inspired by the ecological emergency and the links between man and his planet, Martin Harriague once […]
Read more
Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt has inspired the French choreographer Martin Harriague to make a new dance production ‘Crocodile’ which will take place in September and November in the theaters of France.  Four years after Fossil, a duo inspired by the ecological emergency and the links between man and his planet, Martin Harriague once […]
Read more
Wim te Groen is a pianist and composer. He has been composing music on a grand piano from an early age. Chopin, Beethoven and the music of Simeon ten Holt inspire him. His work is largely written for the balfolk dance style. Music and dance are strongly linked there.
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A special evening with Canto Ostinato and the performance of a work by composer Celia Swart that premiered earlier this year! Canto Ostinato has become a classic and one of the most popular Dutch compositions. After performances in The Hague, Podium21 is organizing a performance in the beautiful Bergkerk in Deventer on Friday 18 October.
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Piano duo Scholtes & Janssens plays the well-known Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt on two grand pianos. The meditative work is known for its exciting performances, which are never the same. Every performance of Canto Ostinato is different; the musicians can play and repeat the more than 200 different sections and variations at will.
Read more
The Natalon Quartet, consisting of Petra van Oort, Laura Sandee, Robert Lambermont and Anna van Nieukerken, is a unique collaboration of experienced pianists with a shared passion for the music of Simeon ten Holt.  This quartet has specialized in the music of Simeon ten Holt and has the honor of being the only one in […]
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt will be performed by Eric Vloeimans  (trumpet) and Aart Bergwerff (organ).
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Would you also like to experience what it is like to listen to music lying down in a beautiful hall with beautiful lighting? Or do you close your eyes? This is possible during a special lying down concert for children.
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Dré Wapenaar (sculptor, installation artist and pianist) was a close friend of Simeon ten Holt (1923-2012). He writes about this concert: I became friends with Simeon in the year 2000, when I was still working on the plans for the construction of the Four-wing Pavilion.
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The Blue Hour is the phase immediately after sunset in which an enchanting, blue-tinted twilight forms the pivot point between day and night and between visible and invisible. It is a moment of wonder and transformation. In this anniversary concert, Les Moucherons sing about twilight, the moon, nature and the soul.
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Robert Lambermont, Anna van Nieukerken, Petra van Oort and Laura Sandee will play works by Simeon ten Holt on Tuesday and Wednesday after Easter. The Natalon Quartet (formerly Rondane Quartet) will play two works by the Bergen composer Simeon ten Holt in De Duif.
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Discover the magic of Canto Ostinato, an iconic composition by Simeon ten Holt that is loved worldwide and still makes a deep impression on musicians and listeners. At first hearing the work seems traditional, but the freedom of choice it offers makes each performance unique.
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Coproduction Introdans & Krisztina de Châtel In a windless prologue accompanied by the rippling piano sounds of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato, the dancers prepare themselves for what is to come. They hang off balance as if leaning against the wind. Their arms cleave the air. They are ready for battle.
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In Cultuurpodium Dorpskerk Huizum, Wiebe Kaspers and Johannes Hibma, each on a grand piano, will (again) give a performance of the ‘Canto Ostinato’, the well-known composition by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt (1923 – 2012).
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DEC 5 is a concert ritual that has taken place since 2015 on the same date in a unique venue in Amsterdam. On December 5th, the home plays a central role in Dutch culture. This date provides the setting for a traditional Dutch ritual, with the home offering a sense of security, belonging, and comfort.
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With Canto Ostinato (1976-1979), Simeon ten Holt (1923-2012) wrote a special composition that is still cherished by players and listeners worldwide to this day. At first glance the work is traditional. It is made up of fragments where tonal harmonies support the movement of tension and relaxation.
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The Netherlands’ most famous composition? More frequently heard than the national anthem? It very well could be. The mesmerizing *Canto Ostinato* by Simeon ten Holt appears on music stands with astonishing frequency. Perhaps it helps that it can be performed on a variety of instruments.
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The Natalon Kwartet, consisting of pianists Petra van Oort, Laura Sandee, Robert Lambermont and Anna van Nieukerken, honors Simeon ten Holt with an enchanting ‘Ode to Simeon ten Holt’ in theater and concert halls worldwide.
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Simeon ten Holt’s world-famous masterpiece Canto Ostinato is performed in De Koepelkerk by two top musicians, the internationally acclaimed organist Aart Bergwerf and the jazzy ‘all-rounder’ on the trumpet Eric Vloeimans. The musical secret of the Canto lies in the intimate and meditative interplay between the musicians.
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ATT 199988 Cees van Zeeland Pump Various Artists  
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Enter the world of serene harmony on May 17 during a magical reclining concert® with the Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt in the beautiful Leopold Church in Meerssen! Let yourself be carried away by masterful pianist Jeroen van Veen who brings an unprecedented symphony of emotions with his grand piano, while you lie comfortably […]
Read more
Canto Ostinato is the best-known piece by the Dutch composer Simeon Ten Holt (1923-2012) and has already become an icon of minimalist music.
Read more
Canto Ostinato in a New Year’s concert by pianist Ivo Janssen. Program: J.S.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt is a masterpiece that is unparalleled in modern classical music. Composed between 1977 and 1979, especially for keyboard instruments, the piano is the ultimate means for Ten Holt to bring his musical vision to life.
Read more
The best-known modern-classical work for keyboard instruments performed on just one grand piano by Jeroen van Veen. This music can change lives, as shown in the film Over Canto.
Read more
Experience a magical Christmas in the historic Laurenskerk in Rotterdam with a special reclining concert on Friday, December 19, 2025. Be enveloped by the mystical sounds of Canto Ostinato, an iconic minimalist masterpiece by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
Read more
VERTIXE SONORA is performing the iconic work Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. This masterpiece will be presented in A Coruña on three pianos and a synthesizer inspired by the setting of the first performance (three pianos and organ) in 1976. VERTIXE SONORA: David Durán Arufe, Luis Ángel Martínez, Álvaro Sieira & Haruna Takebe.
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One of the best-known compositions from the end of the last century is Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
After a fantastic sold-out concert last season in the reprise: The magical Canto Ostinato takes you to a new musical dimension: where time does not exist and only an endless space full of vistas remains.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt will be performed on carillon and two piano’s by Frank Steijns and Friends.
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This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
This meditative and timeless music sharpens all your senses. ‘Canto Ostinato’ by Simeon ten Holt is a classic hit. The piece has been in the top 10 of the annual Classical Top 400 on Radio 4 in the Netherlands for years. Ten Holt originally wrote the piece for piano.
Read more
Canto Ostinato is by far the most popular classical work from Dutch soil. It is not without reason that the piece has been ranked high in the Classical Top 400 for years. By the way, we must place the term ‘classical’ in quotation marks.
Read more
Canto Ostinato is by far the most popular classical work from Dutch soil. It is not without reason that the piece has been ranked high in the Classical Top 400 for years. By the way, we must place the term ‘classical’ in quotation marks.
Read more
Canto Ostinato is by far the most popular classical work from Dutch soil. It is not without reason that the piece has been ranked high in the Classical Top 400 for years. By the way, we must place the term ‘classical’ in quotation marks.
Read more
Canto Ostinato by composer Simeon ten Holt was created between 1976 and 1979 and became a classic hit. And more than that. No version is the same.
Read more
Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt is a masterpiece that is unparalleled in modern classical music. Composed between 1977 and 1979, especially for keyboard instruments, the piano is the ultimate means for Ten Holt to bring his musical vision to life.
Read more
On March 15 at 4:00 PM, a concert will be given in the Westerkerk, Goudvink 2 in Veenendaal, by Annemieke IJzerman, harp, Esther Doornink and Peter Elbertse, marimba and Ad Verhage, organ. They will perform the famous work ‘Canto Ostinato’, originally written for four pianos by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt (1923-2012).
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On March 30, pianists Luuk Schlette and Philo van de Scheur will perform the Canto Ostinato on two concert grand pianos in the atmospheric setting of the Kapel op ‘t Rijsselt. This composition by Simeon ten Holt (photo) is one of the most famous works in Dutch music history.
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In this concert, pianists Joana Gama and Rui Braga Simões come together for the first time for the Portuguese premiere of Canto Ostinato (1979) by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
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Old glory days revived with the beloved classic by Simeon ten Holt. Canto Ostinato in the composer’s favorite hall, played in his preferred line-up with four pianists.
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Canto Ostinato hy Simeon ten Holt one can hear from its very first performer Arielle Vernede.
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Canto Ostinato 2.0 brings together minimal music, electronic and worldly sounds. Simeon ten Holt’s iconic composition has been filling halls for half a century and is now getting a radical update for the new generation.
Read more
Pianist Jeroen van Veen will give a concert on Sunday afternoon, May 11, in Theater Peeriscoop.
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Canto Ostinato by the Natalon Quartet next to performances by other artists of piece by Einaudi, Hans Zimmer and classical pop arrangements.
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On June 21, the longest day of the year, the meditative Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt will be performed in a unique location: in the old farm of Murk Nijdam, between the hay bales, near the Frisian village of Wommels. Ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato has been a popular piece for years.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt. No further recommendation is really needed. Perhaps you were there in January 2023, when pianists Arielle Vernède, Gerard Bouwhuis, Kees Wieringa and Jeroen van Veen performed the work in a packed Small Hall of De Oosterpoort.
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The Simeon Kwartet focuses on the compositions for four grand pianos by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
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The Simeon Kwartet focuses on the compositions for four grand pianos by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
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The Simeon Kwartet focuses on the compositions for four grand pianos by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
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Ways of Seeing: Canto Ostinato invites audiences to explore new ways of ‘seeing’ through deep listening and spatial experience. Highly emotive and intuitive, this work is described by composer Simeon ten Holt as more ritual than concert.
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In a candlelit Westerkerk, organist Aart Bergwerff will perform Simeon ten Holt’s ‘Canto Ostinato’. The famous Duyschot organ from 1686 is rich in colour shades and therefore lends itself perfectly to this unique masterpiece. The spacious acoustics and the real chandeliers of the Amsterdam Westerkerk ensure an intense experience of Simeon ten Holt’s ‘Canto Ostinato’.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt on a closed highway in Amsterdam dedicated to Amsterdam 750.
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Experience a magical Christmas in the historic Laurenskerk in Rotterdam with a special recumbent concert on Friday 19 December 2025. Let yourself be enveloped by the mystical sounds of Canto Ostinato, an iconic minimalist masterpiece by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
Read more
Aart Bergwerff has been a regular guest at the performance of Canto Ostinato for years. A few years ago, the concert with improvising trumpeter Eric Vloeimans was so successful that it was made into a much-praised CD.
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In Canto Ostinato 2.0, minimal music, electronic and worldly sounds come together. Simeon ten Holt’s iconic composition has been drawing full houses for half a century and is now getting a radical update for the new generation.
Read more
It’s a tradition we’re delighted to carry on: Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato in January in Concertgebouw Amsterdam around the composer’s birthday.
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On February 14, 2026, the Grote Kerk Naarden will transform into an oasis of tranquility during the Valentine’s Day Lying-Down Concert. Pianist Jeroen van Veen will perform Canto Ostinato by Simeon ter Holt: a hypnotic work that seems to stretch out time.
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Enter a world of serene harmony on December 6th during a magical “Lying Down Concert”® featuring Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato at the beautiful Leopoldskerkje in Meerssen! Let yourself be carried away by masterful pianist Jeroen van Veen, who will perform an unprecedented symphony of emotions on his grand piano, while you lie comfortably on […]
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Enter a world of enchantment on September 13, 2025, during a magical recumbent concert featuring Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato at the Netherlands Open Air Museum. Let master pianist Jeroen van Veen carry you away as you lie comfortably on your own (air) mattress.
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Four women at the piano. Few Dutch compositions can rival the popularity of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato. The title means something along the lines of “obstinate song”, and indeed, its lyrical character and the insistence of the repeating formulas are unmistakeable.
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Canto Ostinato on the longest day of the year.
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Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato, performed in a unique ensemble: Esther Doornink and Peter Elbertse play marimba, and Annemieke IJzerman harp. Canto Ostinato was first performed in 1979 on three pianos and an organ, but the piece can be performed in any desired ensemble.
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Canto in Flow Want to drift away and clear your head at the start of another Wonderfeel day? Then stretch out on the grass and let yourself be carried away by the flow of Simeon ten Holt’s famous Canto Ostinato.
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In June 2022, the neighbors of the Morgenster performed Simeon ten Holt’s popular masterpiece with piano, percussion (marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel), violin, viola, and cello. Due to the enthusiastic response at the time, and the frequent question of whether this concert would be repeated, we decided to perform this piece again to conclude our anniversary year.
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Esther Doornink and Peter Elbertse play two marimbas. A marimba has a warm and full sound that combines perfectly with the harp, one of the oldest and most beautiful instruments, with the veiled sound of plucked strings. The harp has a certain mystery; all those strings in a row.
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The organ concert season in the village church of Pijnacker at the Koningshof opens on Saturday, September 6th, with a performance by the eccentric organist, arranger, and composer Toon Hagen, known for works including the St. Luke Passion. Toon Hagen is cantor-organist at the Grote Kerk in Zwolle, also known as the St. Michael’s Church.
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Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Canto Ostinato with organist Aart Bergwerff and trumpeter Eric Vloeimans. A wonderful concert featuring Simeon ten Holt’s legendary Canto Ostinato.
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Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Read more
Fascinating, meditative, and minimalist dance programme Less is More is a subtle yet uplifting dance programme, embodying simplicity, stillness, and momentum. An evening of dance heritage in motion, featuring works by leading choreographers Hans van Manen, Lucinda Childs, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
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Canto Ostinato and meditation in the Bovenkerk in Kampen by organist Toon Hagen.
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Julian Schneemann is a musical adventurer. Everything he tackles, he does slightly differently, shedding new light on a work. This also applies to Canto Ostinato 2.0, Schneemann’s contemporary version of Simeon ten Holt’s equally iconic and hypnotic masterpiece.
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Canto Ostinato 2.0 brings together minimal music, electronic, and worldly sounds. Simeon ten Holt’s iconic composition has been filling venues for half a century and is now receiving a radical update for the new generation.
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Canto Ostinato 2.0 brings together minimal music, electronic, and worldly sounds. Simeon ten Holt’s iconic composition has been filling venues for half a century and is now receiving a radical update for the new generation.
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Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Simeon ten Holt’s world-famous masterpiece Canto Ostinato will be performed by two top musicians. Internationally acclaimed organist Aart Bergwerff will play the renowned De Rijckere organ in De Oostkerk. Together with trumpeter Eric Vloeimans—a jazzy all-rounder and master of improvisation—a unique musical interplay will emerge.
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Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt is never the same twice and is reborn in every live performance. Musicians while living in different cities and countries, managed to organise tis event and come together to share this special moment with their public.
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Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato is a masterpiece unparalleled in modern classical music. Composed between 1977 and 1979, specifically for keyboard instruments, the piano is Ten Holt’s ultimate means of bringing his musical vision to life.
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At Theatro Circo, in the context of Contraponto, pianists Joana Gama and Rui Braga Simões join forces to present Canto Ostinato (1979) by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt.
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Our Team’s Picks

Composers in the crosshairs of our attention
Composer

Jan-Peter de Graaff

Netherlands, 1992,
"De Graaff is een alleskunner en een echte en helder opflitsende komeet aan het muzikale firmament die aan niemand ongemerkt voorbij kan gaan." - Maarten Brandt, Opus Klassiek
"De Graaff is een tovenaar met orkestkleuren in een taal die weliswaar van nu is, maar harmonisch ook vaak vertrouwd klinkt." - Paul Herruer, Dagblad van het Noorden
"De Graaffs grootste kracht schuilt in een paradox: stilstand die zindert van spanning." - Guido van Oorschot, De Volkskrant 
 
"Zijn muziek is in essentie atonaal, maar doordat ze niet is doodgesystematiseerd en De Graaff in de contouren en het verloop van zijn melodieën nog steeds romantisch durft te zijn, wordt de luisteraar met zachte, maar dwingende hand meegevoerd in het abstracte verhaal dat hij wil vertellen. Een grote troef is hierbij zijn orkestratiekunst. De muziek is kleurrijk, blijft altijd helder en verrassend." - Erik Voermans, Het Parool
 
"Had iemand mij van te voren voorspeld dat in een programma van Bach, Bartók en Jan-Peter de Graaff het stuk van de laatste mij het meest zou boeien, dan had ik dat niet geloofd. - Dingeman van Wijnen, Friesch Dagblad
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Composer

Maxim Shalygin

January 30, 1985

"Creativity is an unconscious act of insanity, in a burst of which the truth is born. No matter how beautiful or disgusting it may seem to people far from madness, its value is beyond doubt, both for the author and for those able to sense its invisible beauty. After all, gratitude for endless trials and suffering brings joy and blissful emptiness… Being shocked by music is about pain turning into beauty and getting under your skin, taking away your breath; about everything stopping to move. I want to be scratched inside by sound and experience the fleeting, invisible beauty." - Maxim Shalygin

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Composer

Celia Swart

Celia Swart (1994, NL) is a new music composer, saxophone player and visual artist. Growing up playing saxophone and piano, she found her love for composing.
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Composer

Michael Fine

Education Michael has a degree in English Literature from the State University of New York. Despite having no formal music education, he has an active international career in several aspects of the music business.
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