Tag: Improvisation

Beethoven Festival

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Togther with Oene van Geel and Setareh Nafisi, we prepared a concert improvising on melodies and structures by Beethoven for the Beethoven Festival. It was a fun concert, always on the tip of the chair, ready to act. We finished the concert with two arrangements by Oene, where the people of Pynarello joined us.

Here what Veerensmederij says about the concert: “Great Beethoven day yesterday! Wonderful kick-off with Ragazze Quartet and Joris van Rijn in Beethoven opus 132. What a great piece! Then Pynarello with songs in septet arrangement. And a great end to the day with Oene van Geel, (what the man can’t do?) Setareh Nafisi (actually the same thing) and Pau Mesafrets (that man is a cello) Never heard such a great swinging Fur Elise. And Oene had also made a few spectacular arrangements in the form of Beathoven 5 with 3 Pynarelli in a beautiful guest role. We will all continue bravely!” – Translated from Dutch by google traslate.

Photos by Stefan Forsten

Oorsprong – a musical walk

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Erik Woltmeijer, one of the members of Waterlanders, a group that works with interdisciplinary arts in situ, putted together a group of improvisers to work on 2 locations for a musical walk.

The first one was in a “Sculptuurland” in Ederveen, where people would follow a path surrounded by the interactive music and the sculptures in the small forest (see the video below). With Ada Rave, Geerte de Koe and Javier García ana Erik.

Afterwards in the landgoed Oorsprong a new piece following a spring water, for the festival Woest en Bijster. With Ada Rave, Geerte de Koe, Floris and Erik.

Photos by Michiel van Druten

Moving Strings – Splendor

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Moving Strings is a collective of musicians, mainly stringed-instrument players, that investigates the boundaries between music, sound, movement and dance.

I already collaborated with them in two projects in the Vogelbuurt, and I had the pleasure to perform again with them in one of the pieces of the concert they organized in Splendor.

Photos by: Ali Çağlar Erdoğan

Moving Strings and friends: Camille Sa, Nina Hitz, Noortje Köhne, Geerte de Koe, James Hewitt, Jonathan Nagel, Yung-Tuan Ku, Alex Welch, Irene Sorozabal Moreno, Maya Felixbrodt, Manuela Lucia Tessi, Oene Van Geel, Goda Žukauskaitė, Alexandra Baybutt.

Laura Polence at Holysloot

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That November I had the pleasure to play with Laura Polence’s quartet. Laura is an amazing Latvian singer and composer, I really love her music, fun, exciting, with a lot of humor and freedom. Holysloot is a very small village on the middle of the waterlands in the north of Amsterdam, really recommend to have a cycle ride to there!

Laura’s music with animation by Michael Landau. (I’m not on the recording)

With: Laura Polence (composition and voice), Lennart Heyndels (Bass), Onno Govaert (drums)

The Owlman – Zaal 100

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The pianist Nico Chientaroli is the band leader of this flexible instrumental ensemble. Based on his open compositions, texts and conduction signs. I hope we can continue with this band very soon!

With: Nicolás Chientaroli (composition, direction, piano/synthesizer, voice); Onno Govaert (drums), Miguel Petruccelli (guitar, electric bass); Renato Ferreira (contrabass); Pau Sola (cello); Ziv Taubenfeld (bass clarinet); Hernán Samá (reeds).

Ig, Ab, George and I – Recording

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For a couple of years already, Ig and I meet from time to time just to improvise and talk about music. She used to meet with George as well – for much longer already – so the three of us started having some meetings. During these gatherings, Ab would also join some times, either with clarinet or the shakuhachi. The sound of the shakuhachi with the three strings really stroke me, so together with George, we decided to do a recording.

This picture is the day we decided to do the recording. I hope I can update you very soon with the music!!

With: Ig Henneman (viola), Ab Baars (clarinet and shakuhachi), George Dumitriu (viola and violin).

Doek Festival: Saturnalia X Bacchanalia at Sexyland

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The Doek Festival is one of the best events to enjoy the colorful and varied scene of Amsterdam improvisers. The Doek Collectif organized a two days festival at the Bimhuis and it ended it with a great party at Sexyland. A night of different small sets programed by Miguel Petruccelli, with a big ending playing cumbia with Bacchanalia – la Orquesta.

I played a set with Mary Oliver on violin/viola, Eric Boeren – cornet, and Wolter Wierbos – trombone.

The last orchestra set was with: Miguel Petruccelli – bass, composition, Ab Baars – tenor saxophone, Eric Boeren – cornet, Nico Chientaroli – keys, John Dikeman – tenor, baritone saxophones, Onno Govaert – percussion, Pau Sola Masafrets – cello, Michael Moore – alto saxophone, clarinet, Mary Oliver – violin, viola, Tristan Renfrow – drums, Jasper Stadhouders – guitar, Wolter Wierbos – trombone.

Photos: Cristina Marx

Collective Imprography at Cafe Belcampo

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Last December I had the pleasure to be part of this event. Collectief Imprography, started by the amazing dancer Miri Lee, presented a night of dance/music improvisation.

Dance: Christian Guerematchi, Francine Marie, Miri Lee
Music: Oene Van Geel(Viola), Remco Menting(Percussion), Pau sola Masafrets(Cello)

Here you can watch a short fragment recorded and edited by Kagi.

Continue reading “Collective Imprography at Cafe Belcampo” →

Wonderland

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Wonderland is a great project started by the dancer Makiko Ito with Ellen Knops always very close to it. Its a project where a group of musicians and dancers with Ellen on lights, improvise for and with a group of kids from 0 to 4 years old!

Wonderland is basically a big pool of music and dance improvisers opening a whole world for these children. I’m really glad to be part of it since more than a year ago.

I’ve performed until now with musicians Ada Rave, Bernt Nellen, Laura Lotti, Kristian Martinsson, Jodi Gilbert, Allan Purves, and Marcos Baggiani. And dancers Makiko Ito, Manuela Tessi, , Maria Mavridou, Stephanie Lama, Stefania petroula Raul Germano, and Kim Hoogterp.

Theater Hotel Courage

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Theater Hotel Courage is a project I have the pleasure to be part of since early October.

Lead by Katrien van Beurden, it’s a very special project that collects stories from all around the world. Using only masks, mime, music, and improvisation. With actors from the Netherlands, India, Iran, Palestine, Libanon, or Ghana.

Check the facebook page for the next performances.