Premiere of Consecuencias

Coming Friday 14th of April (2023) a new piece for accordion and string quintet (quartet + double bass) will be premiered! Called “‘E’ de Esperanza” it speaks of hope in times of tension and menace. All this because I had the good fortune to meet Vincent van Amsterdam, a great virtuoso and ambassador of his…

Sort of outburst of creative energy over the last month. Over two weeks ago now I finished ‘Consecuencias’ for alto saxophone (or clarinet in Bb) and string quartet (or string orchestra). A three movement piece, first movement ‘de la ignorancia’ (consequences of ignorance), second ‘del amor’ (for my wife Saskia) and third movement ‘de la…

Last Thursday another piece premiered at a Master Recital. This time by Yu-Ling Chiu at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, one of the best mallet-players I ever heard. She helped me and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble out when two years ago we performed a one and a half hour version of Wagner’s Ring (my arrangement). The…

The Netherlands Wind Ensemble has played a major role in my life for over 30 years. I have been extremely lucky performing with this splendid group and then also being invited to arrange for the ensemble. I owe my performing colleagues, staff members, production crew and directors Bart Schneemann and Niek Wijns so much… Now…

Yesterday I had a first run-through with Harmen de Boer, my friend and colleague at both the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam,  of the clarinet-version of Consecuencias. A very promising and interesting run-through. He will be premiering it with the Nostos String Quartet at the Lago@Splendor concert on March 28, 2016, at…

One of the finest musicians I ever worked with is hornplayer Ron Schaaper (Residentie Orchestra The Hague; Netherlands Wind Ensemble). He also plays some lovely guitar and sings wonderfully, a typical specimen of a very handy and naturally gifted musician. (with a good sense of humor) Always wanted to write something for him and two…