The Hague Essentials

Maarten Bauer (NL, 2000) sunk into thought during the lockdown, asking questions like: Why do I compose? Why do I want to be involved in music? Why am I here on earth? He composed a piece for five musicians immersed in their own musings, in which the listener himself can also drift off into thoughts, dreams and questions.

‘Weightless melody lines in a static minor.’ – NRC

Maarten’s oeuvre is strongly influenced by non-western music and art, in particular Southeast Asian music. Furthermore, many of his works are connected to poetry, literature and philosophy. He takes inspiration from composers such as Debussy, Boulanger, Stravinsky, Kurtág, Vivier, Andriessen, Rihm, Xenakis, Padding, Pesson, Ustvolskaya, Dutilleux, Schnittke and Messiaen.

Thomas van Dun (NL, 1995) experienced an enormous workflow during the Covid crisis. Precisely because he couldn’t and wasn’t allowed to do anything, he put all his energy into composing while being forced to sit at home. In his new composition, this energy can be heard in drive, rhythm and dynamics.

‘An energetic pulse, sharp montages and rhythms tumbling over each other suggested a strong kinship with John Adams.’ – NRC

Thomas is a composer and songwriter. He has composed for multiple symphony orchestras and made his debut in dance music in the summer of 2021. His work for classical ensembles is distinguished by rhythmical vividness, its ties to electronic dance music, colourful use of instrumentation, and grand spatial gestures.

Max van Platen (NL, 1996) experienced the Covid crisis as something negative and positive at the same time: it was annoying to have to sit at home, but it also created beautiful new things. He compared this contrast to a special weather phenomenon: when the sun shines and it rains at the same time. His composition is therefore called Kermis in de hel (Dutch for sunshower).

‘What started as a sound haiku of almost-nothing, emerged at the drop of a hat into contrarian hop-step-jump music.’ – NRC

Max starts his composing process at the core. He first takes time to refine very small and detailed musical objects, and only when he has gathered a large enough amount of these musical objects, he starts working outwards towards the entire structure of the composition. Max studied with Martijn Padding and Peter Adriaansz in The Hague, and his work is influenced by Stravinsky and Louis Andriessen, among others.

Amarante Nat (NL, 1995) is used to going through life dancing. During the Covid crisis, she tried to keep dancing and focus on (new) constants that helped her keep moving, such as phoning family. Her piece is based on an alienating waltz.

‘In Carousel, this ballet-dancing composer subjects a slow waltz to a thorough deconstruction. Bonified notes in minimal instrumentation: austere in the good sense of the word.’ – NRC

In her work Amarante feels attracted to traditional western musical forms such as opera, ballet, chamber music and symphonic works. At the same time she is motivated to research new forms and musical ideas such as installations and music theatre. Looking for new working processes and exploring how different art forms can merge and interact through interdisciplinary collaborations are therefore a crucial focus in her work.

Composer and performer Molly Joyce (USA, 1992) has been deemed ‘one of the most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome’ by The Washington Post. Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand from a previous car accident, and seeks to explore disability through composition, performance, collaboration, community engagement, and further mediums.

The compositions of Martijn Padding (NL, 1956) are performed by many leading ensembles, soloists and orchestras worldwide. His oeuvre ranges from works for solo instrument to large-scale compositions for orchestra and music theater and opera. He has a fascination for transparency and contrast between the logical and illogical. In his work he seeks the cunning rather than grand gestures. Although his compositions often have a technical point of departure, theatrical elements become more relevant lately in his work.