Occupation(s) Musician, composer Name Maarten Altena Instruments Double bass Role Composer | Years active 1960s–present Albums Two Making a Triangle Website www.maartenaltena.nl | |
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Born January 22, 1943
Amsterdam ( 1943-01-22 ) Education Conservatorium van Amsterdam Genres Jazz, Free improvisation, Contemporary classical music Similar People Peter Kowald, Guus Janssen, Paul Lovens, Michel Waisvisz, Wolter Wierbos | ||
Derek Bailey / Maarten Altena - Pisa String Duet (1980)
Maarten van Regteren Altena (born January 22, 1943) is a Dutch composer and contrabassist. Altena attended the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (he studied contrabass) and graduated in 1968. Between 1980 and 1985, he studied composition with Robert Heppener.
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Career
Altena recorded in 1967 on Marion Brown's "Porto Novo", along with Han Bennink. After his graduation, Altena played in numerous ensembles, like formations around Willem Breuker and Theo Loevendie. He also played in the Dutch Ballet Orchestra and other orchestras. Halfway during the 1970s, he started with solo performances where he played his own work, partly composed, partly improvised.
Altena also founded his own ensemble, the Maarten Altena Kwartet (Maarten Altena Quartet) which expanded into the Maarten Altena Ensemble (MAE) in 1980. From that point on, focused his career on composing. In 1997 he stopped being an active member of this ensemble and left it completely in 2005 in order to be able to spend more time composing for other ensembles.
Compositions
Prizes
In 1978 Altena received the Wessel Ilcken Prize for jazz and improvised music.