Merlijn Twaalfhoven

Merlijn Twaalfhoven by Poike Stomps

Merlijn Twaalfhoven (born February 14, 1976, Wapserveen) is a Dutch composer and theatre maker.^[1] 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,^[2] Holland Festival, Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest,^[3] the Dutch National Ballet^[4][5] and Springdance festival,^[6] among many others. With his non profit organization La Vie Sur Terre^[7] 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.^[8]

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'^[9] 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,^[10][11] his professorship at ArtEZ School of Arts (see Research), as well as his published articles and book (see Publications).^[8]

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.^[12][13] 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^[14][15] In October 2010 he has been appointed for the task of citycomposer again, this time in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.^[16]

Selected Projects

• Al Quds Underground (2009/2010) Festival in East Jerusalem. Western and Palestinian musicians and actors collaborate in about 150 small performances in living rooms.^[17][18]
• La Nuit n'est pas un chocolat (2002–2006) Yearly spectacle combining contemporary music, theater, cookery and dance. (Performance location: Paradiso, Amsterdam 2002-2006)^[19]
• Long Distance Call (2005) A project in Cyprus with musicians from both sides of the border. They performed on rooftops to bridge the buffer zone that is dividing the island into a Greek and a Turkish part.^[20]
• Symphony for All (2006) Performed by professional and amateur musicians together with school children ^[3][21]
• Torenhoog Mijlenbreed (2009) Large scale composition for modern carillon (named 'de Zingende Toren', designed by artist Bernard Heesen) and about 500 school children and 9 professional singers, performed at the opening of 'Cultuurcampus Vleuterweide'.^[22][23]

Discography

• 1 Gram Of Time 2005 (CD by Amstel Quartet for which Twaalfhoven composed the title song) Amstel Records AR 004.^[24]
• Off Limits 2006 (Cd by Susanna Borsch on which she plays 'Winter in/m April' by Twaalfhoven. Karnatic Lab Records ASIN B000SKKD1I.^[25]
• Dusting For Prints 2009 (CD by Esquire Saxofoon Kwartet on which they play Majority Deviation (2004) by Twaalfhoven). Bonte Koe Records (BKR 014).^[26]

Research

From 2004 to 2008 Twaalfhoven was a professor in 'PopKunst' at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in the Netherlands.^[27][28][29] He performed research on how artists could reach a new and diverse audience without compromising their artistic vision and ideas.^[30] During his studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam he performed artistic research on Japanese aesthetics.^[31]

Publications

• Column in Kaap Kunst art magazine, no.7, pag.35 [2010]. Utrecht: Kunstfactor.1877-6434^[32]
• Article in Jaarboek Actieve Cultuurparticipatie, pag.85-87 [2010]. Utrecht: Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie. ISBN 978-94-90881-01-6^[33]
• Book: Art In Society - Twaalfhoven, Merlijn [2009]. Zwolle: De Jonge Hond. ISBN 978-90-8910-122-8 ^[34]
• On Peace - column for Treaty of Utrecht [2009].^[35]
• Article in journal Boekman 72: Art and Audience, pag.40-45 [2007]. Amsterdam: Boekmanstichting.1571-5949^[36]
• Necessity of Desintegration in Kennist Loont 2007-2011, pag.40-43 [2007]. Utrecht: Dutch University Press. ISBN 978-90-361-0071-7^[29][37]
• Articles in Trans Artists magazine [2005]. Amsterdam: TransArtists.^[38][39]
• Article in journal Boekman 62: Art and Money, pag.74-75 [2005]. Amsterdam: Boekmanstichting.1571-5949^[36]
• Article in daily newspaper Trouw [2004]. Amsterdam: De Persgroep Nederland.^[40]
• De Veelte - website on Japanese Aesthetics [2003].^[41]

Awards and Recognitions

• Audience Award and Jury Award during the nl:Nederlandse Muziekdagen 2003^[42][43]
• Honourable mention young composers at the International Rostrum of Composers 2003 for 'If you reveal...'^[44]
• 2nd prize at the KBC Aquarius composition contest 2002 for 'If you reveal…'
• 2nd prize at the Jur Naessens Muziekprijs competition 2002^[45]
• NOG Stimuleringsprijs (encouragement prize), awarded by Nederlands Ballet Orkest (Dutch ballet orchestra) in 2000 for GUSH.^[46]

See also

• 2009 Arab Capital of Culture
• List of Dutch composers

References

External links

• Official website of Merlijn Twaalfhoven
• Foundation: laviesurterre.nl
• Projects in the Middle East: arabica.nu
• Vision behind professorship: popkunst.nl
• www.adamsebire.info Cameraman, editor, director. (Made documentary of project 'Echoes across the Divide')
• Biography
• Symphony For All in the Netherlands: Videolink
• Symphony For All in Jordan: Videolink