Thea Derks studied English at Groningen University and musicology at Amsterdam University. She graduated with honours in 1996. She was singer/songwriter of the new-wave group Tess. She lectured on modern music in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw from 2003–12, gives pre-concert talks throughout the Netherlands, and is a reporter and programmer for Radio 4, the Dutch classical music station. She recently published a biography on Reinbert de Leeuw that has been well received. www.theaderks.wordpress.com
Martijn Padding's opera Laika is let down by its libretto, which illustrates that though authors may write successful novels, this doesn’t necessarily imply they can also produce good theatre texts.
Luigi Nono tried to better the world, immortalizing many a freedom fighter in moving scores of intense and pure beauty. The Holland Festival dedicates a grand retrospective to the Italian composer in the characteristic Gasholder. With Nono’s vision of a Brave New World in mind, we checked out some other events worth visiting while you’re in Amsterdam.
The Young Composers Meeting Apeldoorn was opened by the 'Orchestra of the 21st century' under Ed Spanjaard, with fascinating pieces by Anna Meredith and Louis Andriessen.
Asko|Schönberg, ensemble in residence at the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, opened the first edition of the Young Pianists Festival with a concert featuring two piano concertos, by György Ligeti and Klaas de Vries. The Dutch composer wrote his Second Piano Concerto for Daniël van der Hoeven, who won the Young Pianists Competition three years ago.
