This work is a peak inside the thought processes in my mind. The band and singers are extensions and alternate voices in my head. The work is raw, gritty and balances irrational and rational thoughts consecutively. The work is meant to be intimate and connecting, show different sides of me and maybe mirror some of your own.
It consists of composed and improvised pieces and is performed by an ensemble of 4 singers, 2 trumpet players, percussion, synths and bass.
Artist statement
Honesty is important, but hard. As an artist, I struggle a lot with finding my voice as a white cis male. What can I talk about, what should I shut up about. What can I say out loud. Can I be angry about something that doesn't necessarily affect me directly, or is that all the more reason to be? Are my thoughts weird, or relatable?
As a poet, singer and composer I prefer to write from the subconscious, or at least get as close to that as possible. My work stems from long spoken and sung improvisations in which I try to speak my mind and everything that comes to mind. I used to filter a lot of thoughts, but noticed that artists that really moved something in me weren't doing that.
In my work, I express to the best of my abilities what lives inside of me. That way, my communication is most honest and therefore most appealing to me. I want to inspire other people to be more honest in their work as well, not to write as beautifully as possible about your first love in the park or the heartbreak afterwards, but to write from true feeling even if they are unconventional.
How many weird thoughts do you have every single day? I sure feel better knowing that I am not the only one having them.
Ambitions
Besides my love for poetry and writing, I enjoy singing. Especially with other people. In five years I would like to work with choirs, vocal ensembles and professional singers. Vocal improvisation and close harmony singing are two of my favorite things to do, so founding a close harmony improvisation group would be the ultimate goal.
Furthermore I studied medicine for a few years and am still really interested in the human brain. Because music is located in a separate part of the brain than for example speech and memory, there's a lot of people that are really helped by music therapy. I would love to have a practice in which I could sing and make music with people that experience memory or speech difficulties.
Learned during the studies
During the study my whole view on making art changed. Looking back at the work I used to make before 3.0 and what I make now, I see an enormous change (luckily). In the first two years of the study I had to literally break down all the walls of what I thought music, art and improvisation were. After that I rearranged the base and started building again. I still don't know if I made a house or something else, but I am grateful for what I have now.
List of publications / exhibitions / prices / concerts / shows etc.
On the 30th of July at 2 pm I will play my Final Exam at the Muziekhuis in Utrecht.
It's called "From My World To The Sky" and will be a musical performance about honesty.
