Education

 

2016 - 2019​ ​| BA classical voice, Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag (not completed)

2012 - 2016 | ​BA composition, Conservatorium van Amsterdam

2011 - 201​​2​ | Preliminary year composition, Conservatorium van Amsterdam

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Awards and competitions

 

64th International Rostrum of Composers (2017)

The octet for strings, commissioned by Liza Ferschtman, has been selected for the 64th International Rostrum of Composers of the International Music Council.

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Prinses Christina Compositie Concours (2015)
At 11 April Hooglied for soprano, guitar and percussion was performed in the Hague by Vanja Schoch, Eva Aukes and Tiffany Ku during the finale of the Prinses Christina Compositie Concours. The piece was awarded the second prize.

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Alba Rosa Viëtor Composition Prize (2014)
At 28 september 2014, ‘Sprookjes 1, 2 & 3’ was performed by Merel Vercammen (violin) and Tobias Borsboom (piano). The piece was awarded both the first prize and the audience prize.

 

Donemus Aanmoedigingsprijs voor vrouwelijke componisten (2012)
(Donemus prize to encourage female composers)
Commission granted to write the piece ‘Stemmingswisselingen’ for piano, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, bassoon, guitar and bandoneon.

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Koninklijk Conservatorium Prijs voor Jong Talent (2011)
(Royal Conservatory Award for Young Talent)
Granted after participation in the annual composition contest of the Dutch Wind Ensemble (Nederlands Blazers Ensemble).

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Compositions and projects

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2020

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Een lied voor de maan
Chamber opera in three acts for five voices and six instruments. Based on the original story by Toon Tellegen. Commissioned by Nationale Opera & Ballet. Co-produced by Opera Zuid, Theaterakademie August Everding, Fundación Albéniz, La Monnaie/De Munt, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, European Network Opera Academies.

 

Het lied van de mol
For children’s choir, mezzo-soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Adaptation of the original opera Een lied voor de maan. Commissioned by Nationale Opera & Ballet for Kinderkorenfestival 2020.

 

La canzone del piccolo uccellino
For piccolo and vibraphone or piano. Commissioned by Het Benelux Fluitconcours and premiered by Ilonka Kolthof.

 

Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis: Hier ist ja lauter Nacht
For mezzo-soprano and string quartet. Text adapted from J.S. Bach, Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21. Commissioned by the Nijmeegse Stichting voor Kamermuziek.

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Fanfare to break the silence
For brass section and percussion. Commissioned by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

We’ll never let you down (first act)
Chamber opera about Jacqueline du Pré for baritone/actor, cello/actrice and piano. First act by Mathilde Wantenaar, second act by Max Knigge and third act by René Samson. Commissioned by Doris Hochscheid.

 

2019

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Prélude à une nuit américaine

For symphony orchestra. Commissioned and performed by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor André de Ridder.

 

Dit zijn de bleeke, bleeklichte weken

For choir. Text by the Dutch poet Herman Gorter. Commissioned by the NTR Zaterdagmatinee and premiered by the Netherlands Radio Choir (Groot Omroepkoor) with conductor Philipp Ahmann.

 

Nachtmuziek

For string orchestra. Adaptation of the original Octet for double string quartet. Commissioned and performed by Amsterdam Sinfonietta.

 

Arrangement: Sweelinck, 6 variations ‘Mein junges Leben hat ein End’

For string quartet. Commissioned and performed by the soloists of Amsterdam Sinfonietta.

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2018

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Zomernacht

For five female voices a cappella. Commissioned by Frits Prior and performed by Wishful Singing at Podium Witteman, 4 November 2018. Text by the Dutch poet C.O. Jellema.

 

Damokles

For cello quartet. Commissioned by the Cello Biënnale 2018 and performed by Cellokwartet Ferschtman with Dmitry Ferschtman, Larissa Groeneveld, Ketevan Roinishvili and Willem Stam.

 

Spring in War-Time

For bariton and piano. Commissioned and performed by Raoul Steffani and Daan Boertien during their Dutch Classical Talent 2018 tour. Text by the American poet Sara Teasdale.

 

De stille weg

For five voices (SATBarB), piano and violin. Text by the Dutch poet Herman Gorter. Commissioned by Festival De Muze van Zuid and performed by singers from het Nederlands Kamerkoor, Laurens de Man (piano) and Eva Stegeman (violin) in Orgelpark.

 

A Haunted House

For chamber orchestra and solo soprano. Commissioned by Nesko 2018. Performed by soprano Jeannette van Schaik and Nesko (Nederlands Studenten Kamerorkest) conducted by Ivo Meinen. Text by Virginia Woolf.

 

2017

 

Octet

For double string quartet. Commissioned by Liza Ferschtman. Performed at TivoliVredenburg and the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, march 2017. Selected for the 64th International Rostrum of Composers of the International Music Council.

 

Fantasie voor viool en orkest
Violin concerto (20 min.) for Merel Vercammen and the Alkmaars Symfonie Orkest. Especially written for the combination of amateur orchestra and professional violinist.

 

Seufzer

For soprano and string quartet. Commissioned and performed by Johannette Zomer and the Tulipa consort.

 

Volle Maan
For soprano and piano. Poem by I.K. Bonset. 

 

Sophia Liederen
For choir and organ. Commissioned by the EUG oecumenische gemeente Janskerk Utrecht.

 

Bach & Soefi
Commissioned by the Dutch Wind Ensemble (NBE). To be premiered 25 november in Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. 

 

2016

 

personar
Chamber opera for solo soprano, choir and string quintet (vl, vl, vla, vc, cb). (20 min.) Commissioned by the Dutch National Opera. Premiered at the Opera Forward Festival.

 

2015

 

Dwalende melodie
Solo bass-clarinet piece. Commissioned by Fie Schouten for an album with new bass-clarinet music suited for students and amateurs.

 

∞ | Infinitus
For choir and organ. Part of the project ‘ Amsterdams Requiem’. Performed at Orgelpark, 25 April 2015 by choir Neon.

 

Wiegelied
For piano, cello and violin. Commissioned by Liza Ferschtman. Premiered at the Delft Chamber Music Festival 2015 by Liza Ferschtman, Ralph van Raat and Konstantin Heidrich.

 

Schemeringen in het avondland
For piano, cello and klarinet. Commissioned by the Erard Ensemble.

 

Het Verborgene
For string orchestra, harp, vibraphone and choir. Commissioned by Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ. Performed by Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Cappella Amsterdam.

 

2014

 

Gossamer
For Ensemble Five (five cellos), performed during the Composers’ Festival Amsterdam 2014.

 

Sprookjes 1, 2 & 3
‘Fairytales’ for violin and piano. Awarded the Alba Rosa Viëtor Composition Prize.

 

Hooglied
For soprano, guitar and percussion. Text by the Dutch writer P. F. Thomése. This piece won the second prize in the Prinses Christina Compositie Concours.

 

Schemering
For symphony orchestra. Performed by the Royal Flemish Philharmonic in Antwerp, Belgium.

 

2013

 

Vergeet ons niet
A thirty-minute performance made in collaboration with three young choreographers; Maartje Fijen, Floortje Doeksen and Floor Nobbe. Performed during the ‘Stukafest’ festival by the choreographers themselves, soprano Eveline Fijen and myself (improvisation on cello, voice and guitar).

 

Nooit meer zo’n dag als vandaag
Song for the children of IJburg, Amsterdam. Commissioned by the Dutch National Opera and performed by all the children (and their parents) of IJburg on the schoolyards as part of the project ‘Boom! Amsterdam is een opera’.

 

Alouette
Solo accordion piece for Sofie de Klerk.

 

2012

 

Vaar wel, Winschootse jongen
Song for guitar, cello, two voices and loop-station, inspired by the artist Bas Jan Ader who miraculously disappeared at sea. Written in collaboration with Brechtje van Dijk. Performed by Brechtje (voice and guitar) and me (voice and cello) during the Gaudeamus festival, 6 September 2012.

 

Muze
For male choir. Text by the Dutch poet Vasalis. Performed by De Fundo, directed by Lodewijk van der Ree.

 

Stemmingswisselingen
For piano, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, bassoon, guitar and bandoneon. Written after winning the Donemus Aanmoedigingsprijs voor vrouwelijke componisten.