ULYSSES Network activities at the festival
The International Ensemble Modern Academy was a guest of the festival for the 7th time in a row, always performing new works by young composers who were proposed by partners of the Ulysses Network or chosen by Gaudeamus and IEMA. This year these composers: Leonardo Marino, Michael Taplin, Bianca Bongers and Elnaz Seyedi, came to Frankfurt in May to meet with the musicians, the conductors and each other and start working with them on their new compositions. After a second meeting end of August they all took the train to Utrecht to present these works in premiere for a great, interested audience at TivoliVredenburg. The concert is repeated on 23 September in Frankfurt.
IEMA ensemble at Gaudeamus Muziekweek. Photo: Henk Heuvelmans
IEMA ensemble at Gaudeamus Muziekweek. Photo: Henk Heuvelmans
Following that concert the Iranian composer Elnas Seyedi took part in a panel debate concerning new music in Iran. Composer Kaveh Farez was in the panel as well and musicologist Liselotte Sels (also specialist in Iranian music and Turkish folk music) was leading the discussion before an audience of mostly young composers.
Panel debate. Photo: Henk Heuvelmans
Jacques Zafra, a young Mexican composer, was enabled by the Ulysses network to travel to several activities in the so called Ulysses Journeys. He was invited to work with the Ensemble Catchpenny during their residence at Gaudeamus Muziekweek. The ensemble presented his new work “Einmal ist einmal” on Friday 6 September at Theater Kikker as a result of their getting together during those days. Jacques Zafra was also presented to the audience in an interview with Floris Schuiling preceding to the concert.
Ensemble Catchpenny performing Jacques Zafra. Photo: Anne van der Kooij
Ensemble Catchpenny performing Jacques Zafra. Photo: Anne van der Kooij
Composer Jacques Zafra. Photo: Anne van der Kooij
Seminar: Opportunities For Composers In A Changing Cosmopolitan Culture
In 2018 during the Ulysses Day at Gaudeamus Muziekweek an interesting debate was set up about the role of the audience in a changing society. Several experienced composers, musicians, journalists discussed the various ins and outs, in a panel and with the audience. Many young composers participated in the debate and made a plea to continue this discussion the following year, but then with a focus on their own generation.
And so at the 2019 edition of the Gaudeamus Muziekweek this follow-up took place: Saturday 7 September, 14.00 h. at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht: a seminar on the challenges and especially the opportunities for composers in this changing cosmopolitan society.
Moderator Jonas Bisquert chaired this seminar in which the dominance of Western European music tradition was examined. The panel consisted of young makers, organizers, education specialists and musicians: Meriç Artaç, Mathilde Wantenaar, Hannibal Saad, Hanne de Vrie, Channe Visscher, Monica Akihary, Calliope Tsoupaki., Bisquert guides us through various issues, hot topics and new trends. There was a presentation of Vocal Statements, a year long project of music making with children at grammar schools. Furthermore the first sketches and results were presented of the collaboration initiated in the spring of 2019 by Gaudeamus and the Catching Cultures Orchestra, which includes musicians from AZCs (asylum seekers’ centres. Closing pitches were made by Ammar (Polaroid Life) and Niels de Groot (De Vrolijkheid).
IEMA Ensemble. Photo: Henk Heuvelmans