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Introducing: Miranda Driessen |
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In Contemporary Music, our programme on today's music, one of its compilers Miranda Driessen, interviews Dutch composers every month. At the end of the broadcast, the interviewee picks the next guest for the upcoming month. On Sunday 9 April, a new line of interviews starts, following a new format.“The programme started in 2014 with the idea of playing music by young, contemporary composers who work in the Netherlands. Gradually, the 'young' part faded away. The composer featured in the broadcast gets to decide who will be invited to take part in the next episode. So after a while, I changed it to 'composers who work in the Netherlands today'. I of course did get to decide who the first composer would be, and I
choose my good friend and former fellow student Nikos Ioakeim.
Interesting detail: at this very moment, he is at Schiphol waiting for
this flight to Athens, to move back there permanently.” Contemporary “The criterion ‘young’ has kind of been abolished, but I still try to get composers nominated who are not part of the so-called ‘Elftal van (Team of) Jaap van Zweden’. So, for example, no Louis Andriessen. Today's composer’ is naturally a very broad concept, and this shows in the huge variety of styles we have seen in the past two and a half years. My personal preference is therefore irrelevant, as I simply want to display that vast richness of influences. That is what I actually find so compelling and interesting – so a personal preference after all.”No dogmas “What's striking, is the ease with which composers allow a vastly broad range of influences into their music. The dogmas of what is, and what isn't allowed, are long gone. What I've noticed, is an increase in electronic music and perhaps in line with that, a shift in the way of thinking on melody, harmony, rhythm and the pure materialness and plasticity of sound. At the same time, a group of composers are re-embracing tradition and 'just' want to write beautiful music.” Sanctuary “I get the impression that the Netherlands are still a sanctuary, where a composer can follow his own path and anything goes. To this day, young composers from all over the world come here, and I suspect this is why. Even with the axe of former minister Halbe Zijlstra strongly undermining the financial position of composers. A negative spiral has been set in motion that urgently needs to be stopped, because otherwise, many will drown in it. Increasingly more stages disappear, while surviving music and concert halls schedule more and more conservatively. They keep receiving less financial aid, so they depend more heavily on ticket sales. This is the reason less new music by Dutch composers is scheduled. This reflects on arrangements, like copyright, that are catered to the scope of audiences, in which the Dutch contemporary music share has become so small, that this group's composers get less money, time and time again.” New format “Contemporary is an umbrella title, with many different editions and programme makers. What I think is unique to my monthly edition, especially the new format that starts on 16 April, is that is joins composers together. The subtitle of my edition is Intime Briefe (Intimate Letters), after the Second String Quartet of Janáček. The featured composer chooses at least one piece that has great meaning to him or her and at least one piece by the composer he or she wants to dedicate the next broadcast to, and of course their own work. I then ask them to explain their choices as if they are writing it in a letter to their colleague. The chosen work of that colleague is written in the programme's text, in admiration for one to the other. This way, I hope to create a kind of connection between then that gives the listener insight to the composers' relationship. It's all very personal.” Donemus “My first programme for the Concertzender was broadcast on 7 October 2006 and was on Eric Verbugt and Guus Janssen. At the time, the programme was linked to publishing house Donemus, that was still part of Muziekcentrum Nederland is believe. On their website, a different composer was highlighted every month. I would visit there once a month for an afternoon and was supplied by recording after recording, with or without score, by audio-visual assistant Ger van de Beuken. It was really fun and exceptionally educational since I was studying composition myself at the Rotterdam Conservatoire.” Omnivore “My background is very divers: for a long time, I worked as a music teacher in special education and sang with different ensembles for contemporary music. After some time, I finally plucked up the courage to apply for the conservatoire for composition where I met my long-time hero Klaas de Vries. Right now, I mostly work as a composer, I have a teaching practice on the side, and I work at a care farm. Yes, I know, it's a lot... My favourite programme right now is: American Highways! For a long time, I was a fan of Diva's Delight, that really became part of my Sunday morning routine. But I'm an omnivore: I simply turn on the Concertzender and wait to be surprised.”
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