Name Merlijn Twaalfhoven | Role Composer | |
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Education Conservatorium van Amsterdam | ||
Resonance merlijn twaalfhoven at tedxede
Merlijn Twaalfhoven (born February 14, 1976, Wapserveen) is a Dutch composer and theatre maker. He graduated from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in 2003. Twaalfhoven is internationally active in creating innovative projects and writing new music for orchestras, choirs and chamber music groups. He collaborated with Toneelgroep Amsterdam, Holland Festival, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, the Dutch National Ballet and Springdance festival, among many others. With his non profit organization La Vie Sur Terre he frequently produces large scale projects on location with local artists and musicians, for example in Cyprus, Japan, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Central Europe.
Contents
- Resonance merlijn twaalfhoven at tedxede
- Symphony for all by merlijn twaalfhoven and netherlands philharmonic orchestra
- Artistic vision
- City Composer
- Selected Projects
- Discography
- Research
- Publications
- Awards and recognitions
- References
Symphony for all by merlijn twaalfhoven and netherlands philharmonic orchestra
Artistic vision
For Twaalfhoven, musical expression revolves around communication: 'A work of art doesn't mean anything if the audience is not touched by it' He tends to take music out of its traditional surroundings, to mix it with other expressions of Western or non-Western culture. He also tends to get the musicians out of their usual behaviour patterns and so stimulate interactions with the audience. His projects often take place at alternative concert locations such as a shipyard in the Amsterdam harbor, an old warehouse, or a nature spot. Politics are part of a majority of his work. This can be seen by the areas of social tension he brings his works to (for example Cyprus or the Palestinian Territories). He often speaks and writes about his outspoken vision on art and its function in society. A few illustrations are: his speech during TEDx Amsterdam conference in 2009, his professorship at ArtEZ School of Arts (see Research), as well as his published articles and book (see Publications).
City Composer
Twaalfhoven was the first 'citycomposer' in the Netherlands. He performed this task for the municipality of Zaanstad where he was appointed for one year on September 25, 2006. Local musicians, professionals, actors, visual artists and volunteers played leading roles at all performances. The post of citycomposer is not unique to the Netherlands. For instance Ghent in Belgium had a citycomposer appointed for the first time in 2004. Twaalfhoven's work in Zaanstad culminated in a large main event: 'Droomzomernacht', an adaptation of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, performed with over 150 local musicians, dancers and actors In October 2010 he has been appointed for the task of citycomposer again, this time in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.
Selected Projects
Discography
Research
From 2004 to 2008 Twaalfhoven was a professor in 'PopKunst' at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in the Netherlands. He performed research on how artists could reach a new and diverse audience without compromising their artistic vision and ideas. During his studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam he performed artistic research on Japanese aesthetics.