New Works for Ties Mellema

ByWillem van Merwijk

Very bad news just after the 2015 summer.  My friend and colleague Ties Mellema – I wrote quite a few pieces for him and his Amstel Quartet and he has been a great inspiration over many years – has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. He is now being treated and his chances of recovery are good. But the news came as a shock, first thing I did when I heard was send out a message to Ties: Can I be of any help?
Ties’ answer was fast as always… Write me a piece for choir and saxophone (concerts March 2016)! And why not a baritone saxophone concerto (with symphony orchestra)? (November 2016) So…. I am really happy I can do something. For a wonderful musician.
The choir: SATB, 32 singers Utrechtse Studenten Cantorij, great conductor: Fokko Oldenhuis
The orchestra: De Philharmonie Amsterdam, conductor Daan Admiraal

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