Musicians of the Concertgebouworkest are zipping with composer and saxophonist Olaf Zwetsloot and his band THE NEWS between present and past in a thrilling musical mix.
About this concert
Travel through time with violinist Leonie Bot and musical allrounder Olaf Zwetsloot. Together with their colleagues from the Concertgebouworkest and THE NEWS they unravel an international tapestry of styles, from classical, jazz and funk to minimal music, hip hop and more. The musicians bring influences from the Netherlands, Mexico, Surinam and Cuba. One moment we are immersed in Zwetsloot’s own new pieces about life in Amsterdam Zuidoost, then we zip to the worlds of Chopin, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, where classical refinement and contemporary energy are drawn together in a single captivating experience.
Olaf Zwetsloot, who grew up in de Bijlmer (Amsterdam Zuidoost), says: ‘I feel honoured to be able to play my own compositions with such outstanding musicians. For me, the Bijlmer is home, especially the old Bijlmer (but that no longer exists). (…) The Bijlmer has had a profound influence on my life, poetry and music (...) My music would be different without the Bijlmer, without its brutalist architecture. I would be different. There is no better place to play these pieces than the Bijlmer Parktheater.’
Bijlmer Klassiek
At Bijlmer Klassiek, a great variety of musical styles meet. Here, musicians from all possible genres and backgrounds work closely with members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, resulting in a series of unique, groundbreaking concerts each season.
The next concerts in the Bijlmer Klassiek series will take place on Saturday 14 March and Sunday 31 May.