Conversation

In 1941 American composers John Cage and Lou Harrison wrote together "Double Music". Fourteen composers, including Louis Andriessen took the same challenge and created seven pieces for one to twenty percussionists. The result was Double Music concert that took place last week at Muziekgebouw at Iij in Amsterdam. The concert included video interviews in which composers explain what Cage meant to them, among the others. Louis Andriessen and Martijn Padding's contribution to this initiative performed by Slagwerk Den Haag is "Gesprek" (Conversation).

Dances

"Life" will have its American premiere this evening in Carnegie Hall. Martijn Padding's "Mordants" and  Andriessen's "Dances" will also be performed. The last concert of "Three Naughty Boys and Three Crazy Girls" series brings improvized music performed by Ernst Reijseger, cello, Cristina Zavalloni, voice and Andrea Rebaudengo, piano.
More about Andriessen Carnegie Hall events here.

This is fragment of "Dances" (part II) played by ensemble of the Rotterdam Conservatory conducted by Henk Guittart.

2009 in Review

(Photo of Amsterdam I made in March 2009)
This is a bit of Andriessen Year-in-Review:
Recordings:
"Garden of Eros" by Attacca Records
"La Passione" by BMOP/sound

Scores
Image de Moreau Box by MCN

Premieres:
The Hague Hacking
Christiaans Andriessens uitzicht op de Amstel

Festivals/Concerts:
Andriessen@70, Music on Main, March, Vancouver
Louis Andriessen - Jongensjaren, May, The Hague
Birthday concerts on June 6 (Nocturnen, The Hague Hacking, Vermeer Pictures, La Passione), Amsterdam

Looking forward:
Carnegie Hall Residency
Louis Andriessen has been appointed to hold the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall for the 2009-2010 season. Celebrating his 70th birthday in 2009, Andriessen will have works performed by longtime champions, including the Bang on a Can All-Stars, the Asko/Schoenberg ensemble, Reinbert de Leeuw, and John Adams, as well as protégés and recent muses such as Greetje Bijma, Martijn Padding, and Christina Zavalloni. Spring performances at Carnegie Hall will feature key Andriessen works in their New York premieres, other works by Andriessen as well as composers he has mentored, and a series of intimate late-night concerts devoted to improvisational music—a key influence on the composer himself.  Program details here.