5th & 6th March.
The New European Ensemble presents in the concert series Cross ties the program When I Listen. A unique fusion of music and stories, focusing on composers and thinkers who go against the flow, on Wednesday 5 March in TivoliVredenburg Utrecht and Thursday 6 March in Amare Nieuwe Kerk The Hague.
Psychiatrist, author and activist Glenn Helberg takes the audience into the worlds of Julius Eastman, Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson and Derrick Skye. Helberg connects the motivations and aspirations of these composers to the experiences of people of color in a white society. He does this using personal stories and insights from his book When I listen (2023).
A special musical and literary evening
The work of Julius Eastman (1940-1990) is steeped in minimalist, repetitive motifs and evokes the restlessness and displacement of a black, homosexual composer in a hostile world. The ensemble plays his powerfully charged composition Gay Guerrilla .
Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson (*1951) reflects in Jim is Still Crowing on the history of racism in the US, with his trumpet playing a prominent role.
Derrick Skye (*1982), a composer with roots in Ghana, Nigeria, the UK and Ireland, explores in American Mirror the coming together of diverse cultures in American society. In this composition, even the audience plays an active role.
As a presenter, Glenn Helberg brings a connecting story, with themes such as intergenerational transmission, identity and the importance of understanding and respect between cultures.
An ode to mavericks
The New European Ensemble guarantees an evening full of musical discoveries and profound stories. When I Listen invites the audience to reflect on the power of music and stories in creating connection and understanding. Travel with us on this inspiring journey of discovery!
Program
Derrick Skye – American Mirror
Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson – Jim is Still Crowing
Julius Eastman – Gay Guerrilla
Performers:
New European Ensemble
Glenn Helberg, presentation
Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson, trumpet
Dates and locations
Wednesday March 5, 2025 – 8:15 PM, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht
Thursday March 6, 2025 – 8:15 PM, Amare Nieuwe Kerk, The Hague
With thanks to: Performing Arts Fund, Municipality of The Hague. Kersjesfonds.
Short biography New European Ensemble
New European Ensemble (NEuE) consists of top musicians from Europe and focuses on impactful projects with high quality new music. NEuE was founded in 2009 and is based in The Hague.
The ensemble’s mission is to present contemporary and 20th-century repertoire in a moving way, which is why the ensemble often seeks combinations with film, literature, dance, theatre and visual arts.
Photo by Rob Overmeer
