A Portrait of Six Conductors
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet in Bb I
Clarinet in Bb II
Bassoon I
Alto Saxophone
Trumpet in C
Trombone
Harp
Piano
Vibraphone
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Violoncello
Contrabass7:50
International Conducting Competition Rotterdam
Premiered by the candidates competing in the second edition of the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam and Klangforum Wien on 4 June 2025, Juriaanse Zaal, De Doelen, Rotterdam.
Trouw: In Rotterdam they are these days on the lookout for a conducting talent in the mould of Mäkelä
Those three pieces were divided among the finalists, but all six conducted the new piece *A Portrait of Six Conductors*, which Mathilde Wantenaar wrote especially for this competition.
Wantenaar wrote six motifs based on the names of the finalists, and a dice roll determines which motif is played first, and thus the order of the piece. The idea of maximum variation was somewhat lost because five of the six conductors rolled a two. But Wantenaar has once again written a wonderfully melodic and rhythmic piece.
Peter van der Lint, Trouw, 6 June 2025