BIO
Photo credits: Paul Glazier
Bart de Vrees studied composition and (classical) percussion at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In 2001 he graduated percussion tweede fase and in 2007 he finished his composition studies.
Being a percussionist, composer, improviser and performer, de Vrees holds a unique position within the Dutch cultural field, working with both traditional (acoustic) instruments/voices and with new media such as (live) electronics and video. His work is a constant search to integrate or desintegrate music, sound, words, movement, theatre, visual arts and new media. For many years he has collaborated with a large number of artists from all kinds of artistic disciplines and styles.
As a percussionist he works with symphony orchestras and ensembles, plays chamber music, solorecitals and performs in dance/theatre productions. He also plays in bands and is active in the Dutch impro-scene.
De Vrees composed pieces for various ensembles (ao. Asko-Schönberg, Nieuw Ensemble, Collegium Novum Zürich, Adapter Ensemble, Insomnio Ensemble, Modelo62), theatre productions (ao. Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Slagwerk den Haag) and musicians (ao. Diamanda Dramm, Brandt Attema, Miriam Overlach). His music is performed in festivals both in the Netherlands (ao. Holland Festival, November Music, Gaudeamus festival) and abroad (ao. Innovations en Concert (Montreal, Canada), Innersounds (Bucharest, Roumania), Ilios (Norway)), Time of Music festival (Vilnius, Lithuania), International Computer Music Conference (ICMC) and in the music-series of the Contemporary Music Ensemble of Egypt.
In 2019 his work For Flute or piano or mandoline or percussion or bassoon or guitar or clarinet or....... has been selected as one of the Dutch submissions during the ISCM World Music Days in Tallinn, Estiona. In 2022 he was appointed the first 'Stadscomponist' for the beautiful city of Den Bosch.
De Vrees is one of the founders of Monoták, an Amsterdam based international collective of composers, performers and visual/sound artists and he is one of the co-founders of Splendor, a venue in Amsterdam run by musicians.
Next to all this, is de Vrees the artistic leader of the concertseries De Link in Tilburg and in 2024 he will be the artistic projectleader for Gronings Vuur in Het Hogeland.
Stay tuned for more info on this great project!
Contact me at: bdvrees(at)gmail(dot)com
He uploads a videorecording of a piece on a regular basis to his youtube channel.
LIST OF COMPOSITIONS
(chronological)
1. Five pieces for percussionduo (2002)
for two percussionists
duration ca. 12’
2. Duo I for bassclarinet and percussion (2004)
version Ia for bassclarinet and percussion
version IIb for baritonsaxophone and percussion
duration ca. 12’
3. Study for flute solo (2004)
for flute solo
duration ca. 4’
4. Duo II for flute and actor/percussionist (2004)
for flute and actor/percussionist
duration ca. 12’
5. Murw (2005)
for clarinet, horn, bassoon, harp, two violins, viola, cello and doublebass
duration ca. 9’
written for Asko Ensemble
6. Two songs on texts by Hagar Peeters (2005)
I. De muur
II. Lamento voor de oude vrouw
for voice, two (bass-)clarinets, violin, cello and piano
duration ca. 8’
written for Soil Ensemble
7. Duo III for violin and percussion (2006)
for violin and large percussion set-up
duration ca. 15’
not yet performed
8. Ontwar(r)en (2007)
for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, 2 percussionists, 2 violins, viola,
cello and doublebass
duration ca. 9’
written for Schönberg Ensemble
9. Nabij for solo bassdrum and offstage tubularbells (2007)
for two percussionists
duration ca. 5’
in memorian A.G.
10. Touch yourself prt. I (2008)
for performer, two channel electronics, camera, beamer and venetianblinds
duration ca. 7'
11. Surmenage (to the one that closes opened doors) (2008)
for closet solo and ensemble: flute, oboe, (bass-)clarinet, mandoline, guitar, percussion,
piano, 2 violins, viola, cello and doublebass
duration ca. 12’
written for the Nieuw Ensemble with support of the FPK
12. Three nocturnes (2009)
for basstrombone and harp
duration ca. 10’
written for duo Attema/Haring
13. Minkowski ruimte (2009)
for narrator/percussionist and wind ensemble: flute, 2 clarinets, trumpet, horn, trombone,
3 melodicas, offstage doublebass, cassettedecks, lightswitches, camera and tv.
text Jannemieke Caspers
duration ca. 9’
written for the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
14. Schemering (aan de vooravond van het einde) (2009)
clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello and doublebass
duration ca. 10’
written for Collegium Zürich and November Music with support of the FPK
15. Three interludes (on the nature of absence) (2010)
for 2 violins, viola, cello and doublebass
duration ca. 12’
written for Ensemble Caméléon
version for string quartet (2013) for Utrecht String Quartet
16. In my Room (thoughts about a possibility) (2009-2010)
for voice, violin, viola, cello, percussion and 4 channel soundtrack
duration ca. 12’
written for de IJsalon with support of the FPK
17. Het wonderlijke verhaal van K. (2011)
Musictheatre piece for actor and wind ensemble: flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, bassoon, trumpet,
horn, basstrombone, 3 female voices, accordion, harp, 2 percussionists and doublebass
text by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
duration ca. 95’
written for the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble with support of the FPK
18. Waan (2011)
for narrator, oboe d’amore solo, 2 clarinets, 2 trombones, synthesizer
text Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
duration ca. 5’
written for the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
19. Plastichoutstemsteenmetaalwater (2012)
electronic music for 4 speakers
duration ca. 13’
20. Gloren (2012)
for speaking voice/percussion, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano/synthesizer
duration 8’
written for Amco Ensemble
21. Wakker/slaapwandelend (2012)
for narrator, cello, harp, percussion and 4 channel soundtrack
duration ca. 25’
written for Trio Hoorcomfort
22. Worvel nae worvel (2013)
for voice, trombone, harp, doublebass, percussion and 4 channel soundtrack
text Daan Doesborgh and Ruth Sacks
duration ca. 25’
written for de Koene Ridders with support of the FPK
23. Iknwwhtyhvdn (2013/revision 2017)
for brass, percussion and 4 channel soundtrack
written for a sitespecific project in Detmold Germany
duration ca. 8'
written for Worldbrass.
24. a suite of dances (2014)
for solo percussion and 2 channel soundtrack.
suite from the childrens theatre show ‘de grote geniaal mislukte oerknal voorstelling’
by Slagwerk Den Haag with support of the FPK
duration ca. 20’
25. Kastje....muur....(2014)
for two female voices, clarinet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola and cello.
text Daan Doesborgh.
duration ca. 35’
written for the IJsalon with financial support of the Ben Remkes Stichting.
26. 26 fragments, or doing things in the age where everything has been done (2015)
for bassclarinet, violin, cello, acoustic guitar, percussion and sampler.
duration ca. 10’
written for ensemble Modelo62
27. Zonder titel (2015)
for flute, bassclarinet, harp and percussion (also playing sampler).
duration ca. 14’
written for Adapter Ensemble
Version for Vers Ensemble (2016) for flute, bassclarinet, piano and percussion (also playing
sampler).
28. The whereabouts of W. (opening lines) (2015-2018)
for solo violin/actor, looppedal and 3 cassetteplayers.
duration ca. 15'
written for Diamanda Dramm
29. Nascent/Naissant (2016)
for harp and sampler
duration ca. 4’30”
written for Miriam Overlach and Wilbert Bulsink
30. Meenemenemeneem, elegie voor de nachtbrakers (2016)
for stringquartet, bassclarinet, percussion and stereo soundtrack.
written for the Egyptian Contemporary Music Ensemble
duration ca. 6’00”
31. Trakl, lied mit einer nicht anwesenden sängerin (2017)
for two amplified acoustic guitars treated as percussion instruments and video
duration ca. 7'30"
written for Ruud Roelofsen
32. The whereabouts of W. (last words) (2016-)
for solo percussionist/actor, objects and guitarpedals.
duration ca. 12'
--------------under construction-----------
33. For flute or piano or mandolin or percussion or bassoon or guitar or violin or
harp or clarinet or..........(2017)
for any (amplified) solo instument or combination of instruments and video.
duration c.a. 5'25"
written for the soloist concert series of Insomnio Ensemble with financial support of
Gaudeamus and the FPK.
34. Posthuman digital neurosis (2018-2020)
for at least 2 unspecified instruments and/or voices and video.
duration ca. 6'
35. Video studies no. 1 (2019-2020)
for fixed media or any instrument(s), voices and video, that uses the video as the score.
duration ca. 10' (currently audio only).
36. ...nothing but the larks...(2019)
for one or two narrators with megaphones, small male choir and instruments.
written for Asko/Schönberg Ensemble and Cappella Amsterdam.
duration ca. 15'
37. #4; maan (2020)
for male voice, piano and doublebass.
text by Sander Koolwijk
duration ca. 4'
38. Schetsen, Stukken, Scherven, Liederen en Fragmenten (2021)
(a collection pieces for (amateur) musicians)
Book I
1. Januari '21 2. Februari '21 'lamento van de gescherfde stad' 3. Maart '21
4. April '21 'kleine elegie voor de bomen en het plein' 5. Mei '21
6. Juni '21 'een korte fanfare' 7. Juli '21 'lege huizen' 8. augustus '21
9. September '21 'klein koraal' 10. Oktober '21 'middagje Helftheuvelen'
11. November '21 'klein scherzo' 12. December '21 'kleine afscheidsgroet'
39. Obscured spiral patterns (2021-2022)
for two bassclarinets, extended vibraphone and organ
duration ca. 8'
40. Fieldrecordings from the digital wastelands (2023)
electronic music for two speakers
duration ca. 18'45"
I. 0'00"-1'40" II. 1'40"-5'25" III. 5'25"-6'15" IV. 6'15"-7'30" V. 7'30"-9'35" VI. 9'35"-15'50" VII. 15'50"-18'45"
41. Schetsen, Stukken, Scherven, Liederen en Fragmenten (2023)
(a collection pieces for (amateur) musicians)
Book II
1. Januari '23 'Niemand wist' 2. Februari '23 'Twee van Ostaijen Liederen' 3. Maart '23 'korte toccata'
4. April '23 'driemaaldrieofvijfofzeven' 5. Mei '23 6. juni '23 'Schaduwen & Geesten' 7. juli '23 'Een gids om te
verdwalen' 8. Augustus '23 'Tutta forza' 9. September '23 'Uitgang' (tekst: Lucebert) 10. Oktober '23 'Etude voor
koppige karakters' 11. November '23 'Tegenbeweging' 12. December '23 'Eat to shit out' (text: William S.
Burroughs)
MISCELLANEOUS/OCCASIONAL WORKS
1. Three minute opera (2004)
Small opera for 2 female voices and cello
written for a project of YO! opera in shoppingmall ‘Hoog Catharijne’
duration ca. 3’
2. Zoef (2007)
theatremusic for three trombones and magic lanterns
written for a childrens theatreproduction of Musiscoop
duration ca. 10’
3. Poging I: ‘Karlheinz spreekt’ (2008)
for two channel tape, my first attempt to write some electronic music, using free software.
based on a short (and noisy) sample of Karlheinz Stockhausen talking about sound, the
sample was taken from Youtube.
duration ca. 4’30”
(Poging II and Poging III are planned.....)
4. Grijs (2012)
for cello and piano.
written for an album of contemporary pieces for amateur cellists and pianists. This piece is
for the easiest level.
duration. ca. 3’
Published by Donemus.
5. Prelude/interlude/morphing (2013)
for stringquartet, percussion and 4 channel soundtrack.
written as an interlude in a program connecting ‘Vor deinen Thron tret’ ich hiermit’ of J.S.
Bach with Quartet in d-minor “Voces Intimae” of J. Sibelius using only material of those
pieces.
duration ca. 4’30”
written for the Utrecht String Quartet.
6. ......Als/Of..... (2015)
for two bassclarinets with optional anklebells
written for an album of contemporary pieces for amateur bassclarinetplayers.
duration ca. 2’
Published by Donemus.
7. Animalis abstracta (2018-2019)
video installation for Abstractiepark 7090 by 7090.
duration ca. 4'
various festivals in the Netherlands in 2019/2020.
8. Artificial Landscape Study (2024)
for the Muzische Sonnettenkrans project by AHJ Dautzenberg & Rob Moonen
--------------under construction-----------
COLLABORATIONS
1. the distractions of light (2008)
performative installation with Zhana Ivanova and Thomas Myrmel
duration ca. 25’
Illios festival Harstad Norway
2. Ook ik! (2011)
live electronic music for theater performance of theatregroup Wildvreemd
3. Darkroom for intellectuals (2012)
performative installation with the Koene Ridders
duration ca. 3 hours
Grachtenfestival Amsterdam
4. Performative installations with Koene Ridders (ungoing project)
Vrede van Utrecht, Gaudeamus festival, kamermuziek festival Almere, Hotelnacht
Amsterdam
5. Live Sounddesign for [the brain] by Orion Maxted/Frascati producties (2018)
6. Live Sounddesign for Digest the future (2018)
theatregroup Space
7. Herfst Winter Voorjaar Zomer (2021)
music, sounddesign and concept for Theater Artemis.
(unfortunately due to the Covid19 measures only 'Lente' and 'Zomer' took place.
I did however compose the music for 'Herfst' which you can download for free
at the 'Stadscomponist' page. Also the music for 'Zomer' is downloadable for free.
8. Sounddesign for a music theatre production based on the famous poem
'Todesfuge' by Paul Celan (2021)
sound and instrument design for stichting Knars
9. Sounddesign for 'Hinterland'
sound for the lightinstallation by Heleen Blanken en Marieke Nooren (Gouden Haas).
WITHDRAWN WORKS
1. Study for trombone and ensemble (2001)
2. Quartet I for flute, viola, harp and percussion (2003)
3. Quartet II for viola, cello, bassclarinet and piano (2004)
4. Wankel for saxophone quartet and percussion (2013)