December 2004
Performances at the Netherlands Music Days
Joe Bendavid in Passage
Two works of Michel van der Aa were performed during this years Netherlands Music Days.
On 10 December Second Self received its Dutch premiere in Utrecht from the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under Ed Spanjaard. Van der Aa’s fascination with creating sonic doubles is at the heart of this new work for orchestra and soundtrack. Commissioned by the SWR and the FST, the score was unveiled at the Donaueschingen Music Days on 15 October with the SWR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Roland Kluttig. The piece received great public and critical acclaim.
“sophisticated shadow plays”
— Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“Perfect and emotionally balanced…emotion and superior technique exactly form the grandiose combination that rules in Van der Aa’s composing…virtuosic use of electronics…a work full of fantasy that always sounds apparent and striking but also always surprises.”
— Telegraaf
“Fresh music that carefully balances the electronic and acoustically produced sounds”
— Trouw
“One of the highlights of the Netherlands Music Days”
— Volkskrant
That same evening the film Passage received its world premiere. Passage is a short film written and directed by Michel van der Aa. It is the final film Van der Aa made at the New York Film Academy during his film directing studies in 2002.
Sol Gabetta, cello. Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Candida Thompson. Vakil Eelman.