PressRelease OnSunday,November29 th theyoungneweuropeanensemblewillmakeits debutforthedr.antonphilipszaalinthehague,withaperformanceinthe NieuweKerkentitled ScandinavianImagery.ThisistheEnsemble sfirstconcert foramajorconcertseries.musicdirectorchristiankarlsenwillconduct20 th and 21 st centurymusicfromfinlandincludingthedutchpremiereofarenaiiby MagnusLindberg,oneoftoday sleadingcomposers. TheNewEuropeanEnsemblewasfoundedoneyearagoinTheHaguebyagroup ofyoungmusiciansfrom9differenteuropeancountries.withexcitingand surprisingprogramstheensemblestrivestoconvinceaudiencesoftherichnessof imaginationandcommunicativepowerofcontemporarymusic.thequalityofthe EnsemblehasalreadyleadtoaninvitationforaResidencyatAldeburgh(UK) whereafamousmusicfestivaltakesplace.theensembleiscurrentlyworking togetherwithamnestyinternationalonaprojectfor2010. ScandinavianImageryincludestwoworksbyMagnusLindbergandasongcycleon poemsbysapphobyesa PekkaSalonen,whichwillbesungbysopranoMaribeth Diggle.SampoHaapamäki sworksignature,willrepresenttheworkofanew generationoffinnishcomposers.hewontheprestigiousgaudeamusprizein 2004forthispiece,inwhichsurprisingnewsoundcolourscapturetheattention andimaginationofthelistener.witoldlutoslawskiwashighlyinfluentialinthe developmentoffinnishcontemporarymusic.theensemblewillperformhis masterpiecechain1. MagnusLindbergisconsideredtobeoneoftoday sleadingcomposers.hismusic isperformedworldwidebythebestorchestrasofourtime.thisyearheis composerinresidenceforthenewyorkphilharmonic.arenaii,whichwillbe heardforthefirsttimeinthenetherlandsisoneofhismostcolourfulworks embodyingstrongrhythmicdriveandthecolourfulelementsofexperimentalfilm music.theneweuropeanensemblewillalsoplaylindberg scorrente. Aconcertintroductionwillbegivenat13:30bymusicologistMaartenBrandt. FortheEditor PresspicturescanbedownloadedfromtheNewEuropeanEnsemblewebsiteat: http://www.neweuropeanensemble.com/press.html ConductorChristianKarlsenisavailableforinterviews.Forinterviewbookingsor extrainformationpleasecontactryannehofman(+316 12509522).
NewEuropeanEnsemble:ScandinavianImagery SundayNovember29th,2009at14:30 Freeconcertintroductionat13:30 NieuweKerk Spui175,DenHaag Tickets 17,50/ 15,00(65+,Uitpas)/ 10,00(tot27jaar) PROGRAM MagnusLindberg Corrente WitoldLutoslawski Chain1 Esa PekkaSalonen FiveImagesafterSappho ~intermission~ SampoHaapamäki Signature MagnusLindberg ArenaII(NetherlandsPremiere) TheNewEuropeanEnsemble smusiciansforthisconcertare: MaribethDiggle soprano ChristianKarlsen conductor FeliciavandenEnd flute ChristopherBouwman oboe JamesMeldrum clarinet RyanneHofman bassclarinet GrethaTuls bassoon OkkeWestdorp horn JoseSogorbJover horn FrankBraafhart trumpet AntonvanHouten trombone WimVos percussion AntonSie harp HannaShybayeva piano EkeSimons celesta/harpsichord RadaOvcharova violin1 DanielMigdal violin2 EmlynStam viola WillemStam cello SzymonMarciniak doublebass
PROGRAMNOTES MagnusLindberg Corrente(1992) MagnusLindbergisoneoftoday sleadingcomposers.hewrotecorrentein1992 forthe127thanniverssaryoftheswedishliteraturesociety.correnteisthename ofanitalianbaroquedanceandalsomeans running or flow,whichisexpressed throughthework senergeticrhythmicenergy.correnteisorchestratedforsmall orchestrawithamaximumofdifferentinstrumentsaddingrichpossibilitiesfor timbreandcreatingspaceinwhichakaleidascopeofmusicalcharactersinterract. WitoldLutosławski Chain1(1993) ThePolishcomposerWitoldLutoslawskiwasofgreatimportanceinthe developmentofcontemporaryfinnishmusic.hewasaninspirationalfigurefor theothercomposerswhoseworksappearontheprogram.hischain1from1993 isregardedasaclassicalmasterpieceofthe20thcentury.chain1(or Lancuch in Polish)isthefirstofaseriesofthreechains.Musicalideasoverlaplikelinksina chainsothatonecanhardlydistinguishwhereoneideabeginsandtheother ends.witoldlutoslawskiwrotechain1forthefourteenmusiciansofthelondon Sinfonietta asasouvenirofourcommonmusic makin. Esa PekkaSalonen FiveImagesafterSappho(1999) Esa PekkaSalonenisnotonlyafamousconductorbutalsoahighlyregarded composer.hewroteaboutfiveimagesaftersappho: Almosteverygenerationof poetshastriedtotranslatefragmentsbysappho,inwhichwereadthedisjointed messagesofawoman.smallpoems,sentences,groupsofwords,oftenjusta singleword.sapphorevealsthesecretsofthesoullikenootherpoet.between thesmallislandsofwordsonecanhearmusic. Thefragmentarynatureofthematerialgivesitanopenform,whichmakesit fascinatingtosettomusic. Myideawastowriteacyclewherethelifeofawomanfromchildhoodtooldage anddeathwasdescribed.thetimingwasfarfromideal:mysonoliverwasbornin themiddleofthecompositionprocesswhichmadeitimpossibleformeto imaginelonelinessanddeath.that swhyichosetoconcentrateonthefirstpart oflife. SampoHaapamäki Signature(2004) SampoHaapamäki sworksignature,willrepresenttheworkofanewgeneration offinnishcomposers.hewontheprestigiousgaudeamusprizein2004forthis piece,inwhichsurprisingnewsoundcolourscapturetheattentionand imaginationofthelistener. TheyoungtalentedcomposerHaapamäkiwasastudentofMagnusLindberg.His SignatureiswritteninavirtuosoEnsemblestylewithgapingregistersandthick rhythmicmaterialwhichunitesthevariouspartsoftheworkpointstowardsthe futureofmusicalcomposition.
MagnusLindberg ArenaII(1996,DutchPremiere) ArenawasthecommissionedworkforthefirstInternationalSibeliusConductors CompetitionandwaspremieredonJune30th,1995.In1996,MagnusLindberg transformedthesymphonicscoreforthepieceintoaversionfor16instruments andcalleditarenaii.thepiecelasts16minutesandisoneoflindberg smost importantworksbuthasneverbeenperformedinthenetherlands.arenaiiislike aconcertforensembleinwhicheverymusicianisgivenaunique,virtuosorolein adiversewholewithanexcitingrhythmicdrive.theromanticsoundworldand harmonictensioninthework sfinalclimaxremindoneofmahler,bergand Lindberg sgreatfinnishpredecessorsibelius. TopyoungmusiciansfromthroughoutEuropefoundedtheNewEuropean Ensemblein2008.Theirgoalistobridgethegapbetweennewmusicandthe publicatlargethroughexcitingandexpressiveperformancesof20 th and21 st centurymusicforchamberensemble.theensemblealsostrivestorenewthe concertformat.theaimistoshowthatnewmusicisrelevanttosociety. In2010theensemblewillcreateapartnershipprojectwithAmnestyInternational foraperformanceofhenze Voices,exploringhumanrightsissuesintheworld today. TheNewEuropeanEnsembleismadeupofyoungsoloists,chambermusicians andorchestralleadersfromacrosseuropewhoareforgingnewpathsinmusical performanceandconnectingwithanewgenerationofyoungcomposers.the youthfuleuropeanappearanceofthemusiciansleadthemtochoosethename NewEuropeanEnsemble. Theensemble squalitieswereapparentimmediatelyfollowingitsinception.the NewEuropeanEnsemblewillbe ensembleinresidence inaldeburgh(uk)and hasbeeninvitedtotourswedenaswellaspresentnumerousproductionsinthe Netherlandsforthe2009 2010season.TheNewEuropeanEnsemble sfirstc.d. withmusicbyarnoldschönbergwillbereleasedinthecomingyear.
Theensembleismadeupofacoregroupof10musiciansandguestmusiciansare ofteninvitedtoperformwiththeensembletoexpandthesetting. Theensemble sartisticdirectorischristiankarlsen,atalentedyoungswedish conductorwhorecentlydebutedwiththehaguephilharmonicandthenational OrchestraofPorto. www.neweuropeanensemble.com ChristianKarlsen conductor RadaOvcharova violin JamesMeldrum clarinet CarinaVinke alto EmlynStam viola RyanneHofman bassclarinet HannaShybayeva piano WillemStam cello JacobKellerman guitar ChristianKarlsen,conductor TheyoungSwedishconductorChristianKarlsen(born1985)isartisticleaderof theneweuropeanensembleandrecentlydebutedwiththehaguephilharmonic andthenationalorchestraofporto. ChristianhasworkedwithorchestrassuchastheRadioKamerFilharmonie,het NoordNederlandsOrkest,BrabantsOrkest,KuopioE5orkest,theUppsala Chamberensemble,andASKO SchönbergandtheNieuwEnsemble.Hehas assistedattheoperadortmund,musikkollegiumwinterthur,thelimburgs SymfonieOrkestenl OrchestrePhilharmoniquedeLiége. HijconductedinvariousfestivalsincludingtheStockholmNewMusicfestivalin 2003andalsotheStockholmMusicFestival,whereheconductedMozart s Requiem. ChristianKarlsenstartedtoplaytheviolinwhenhewasfouryearsold.Attheage of13hestartedconductinglessonswiththefinnishmaestrojormapanula, gainingexperiencewhileconductingmembersoftheroyalstockholm Philharmonic.ChristianKarlsenparticipatedinmasterclassesgivenbyJohn Carewe,GeorgeHurst,SterfanKarpeandHartmutHänchen.Since2004Christian hasstudiedorchestralconductingwithjacvansteenattheroyalconservatoire inthehague.
MaribethDiggle,soprano TheAmericansoprano,praisedforheradmirablecontrolofherupperregister, recentlyperformedasasoloistinravel ssheherazadeunderconductored SpanjaardandalsosangscenesfromEugeneOneginwiththeLimburgsSymfonie OrkestintheRobecoconcertseriesinAmsterdam. Since2005shehastouredasasoloistforAlainPlatel,choreographeratLesBallet C.delaB.,andhassungundermusicaldirectorFabrizioCassol,leaderofjazztrio AKAMoon,currentlyperformingtheirlatestcreation"Pitié". RecentlyMaribethreceivedherMasters degreeatthedutchnationalopera Academy,havingsungrolessuchasMèreMarie(LesDialougedesCarmelites), DonnaEliva(DonGiovanni),Poppea(L'incoronazionediPoppea)andFiordiligi(Così fantutte)underconductorssuchashenrikschaefer,richardegarrandglen Wilson. Besidestheoperarepertoireshealsohasaloveofcontemporarymusicandhas collaboratedwithseveralcomposers,includingdutchcomposerpauloomen.he haswrittenkaneforher,asolopiecewhichsheperformeratthehollandfestival inamsterdamandtherundgangfestivalinberlijn. MaribethDigglestudiedattheBostonUniversityTanglewoodInstitute,theMusik HochschuleLuzernandtheConservatoryofAmsterdam. MagnusLindberg(born1958,Helsinki) MagnusLindbergisoneoftoday sleadingcomposers.heis Composer in ResidenceoftheNewYorkPhilharmonic between2009and2011,withthepremiereofexpoin September2009,tolaunchAlanGilbert'stenureasthe orchestra'smusicdirector. Lindberg smusichasbeenrecordedonthedeutschegrammophon,sony,ondine andfinlandialabels.in2003lindbergwasawardedtheprestigiouswihurisibelius Prize. MagnusLindbergispublishedbyBoosey&Hawkes. FollowingpianostudiesheenteredtheSibeliusAcademywherehiscomposition teachersincludedeinojuhanirautavaaraandpaavoheininen.thelatter encouragedhispupilstolookbeyondtheprevailingfinnishconservativeand nationalistaesthetics,andtoexploretheworksoftheeuropeanavant garde.this ledaround1980tothefoundingoftheinformalgroupingknownastheearsopen
SocietyincludingLindbergandhiscontemporariesHämeeniemi,Kaipainen, SaariahoandSalonen,whichaimedtoencourageagreaterawarenessof mainstreammodernism.lindbergmadeadecisivemovein1981,travellingtoparis forstudieswithglobokarandgrisey.duringthistimehealsoattendeddonatoni s classesinsiena,andmadecontactwithferneyhough,lachenmannandhöller. Hiscompositionalbreakthroughcamewithtwolarge scaleworks,action Situation Signification(1982)andKraft(1983 85),whichwereinextricablylinked withhisfoundingwithsalonenoftheexperimentaltoimiiensemble.thisgroup, inwhichlindbergplayspianoandpercussion,hasprovidedthecomposerwitha laboratoryforhissonicdevelopment.hisworksatthistimecombined experimentalism,complexityandprimitivism,workingwithextremesofmusical material. Duringthelate1980shismusictransformeditselftowardsanewmodernist classicism,inwhichmanyofthecommunicativeingredientsofavibrantmusical language(harmony,rhythm,counterpoint,melody)werere interpretedafresh forthepost serialera.keyscoresinthisstylisticevolutionwerethe orchestral/ensembletriptychkinetics(1988),marea(1989 90)andJoy(1989 90), reachingfulfilmentinaura(1993 94)andArena(1994 95). Lindberg'soutputhaspositionedhimattheforefrontoforchestralcomposition, includingtheconcert openerferia(1997),large scalestatementssuch asfresco(1997),cantigas(1999)concertofororchestra(2002 3) andsculpture(2005),andconcertosforcello(1999),clarinet(2002)andviolin (2006).RecentworksincludeSehtdieSonne(2007),commissionedbytheBerliner PhilharmonikerunderSimonRattleandtheSanFranciscoSymphony,andhisfirst choral orchestralworkgraffiti,premieredinhelsinkiinmay2009.