The young duo Kayra & Cansu will perform highlights from the piano four-hands repertoire at the De Duif festival center. Listen to Debussy's refined Six épigraphes antiques, a selection from Schumann's beautiful Bilder aus Osten, and Grieg's own arrangement of his popular Peer Gynt Suite. Be surprised by two new works by the Turkish composer Burhan Önder, written especially for the festival! Enjoy a delicious vegetarian lunch during the concert.
Carmen as you've never seen her before: rebellious, extravagant, and unapologetically herself! During this festive opening concert, Club Classique and Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens will perform Bizet's opera Carmen with a revolutionary twist full of bravura. With sopranista Maayan Licht - internationally renowned for his enchanting high voice - as Carmen and tenor Mitch Raemaekers as Don José. On this unique evening, classical music, opera, and drag art will be interwoven into a spectacular performance. Prior to the opera, Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens will perform a grand work by Tchaikovsky with a very different woman in the lead role, Sleeping Beauty.
During this exciting finale, three duos selected from the preliminary round of the 4th Piano Duo Festival Competition will show off their best sides! Each duo will have 20 minutes to perform their favorite duo works on one and/or two pianos. A three-member jury, consisting of Camiel Boomsma, Lestari Scholtes, and Maarten den Hengst, will determine who will take home the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes.
Italian twin sisters Beatrice and Eleonora Dallagnese are among the most promising piano duos of their generation and have already won more than 45 national and international prizes. Their ensemble playing excels in precision, expression, and an undeniable mutual chemistry. This afternoon, the duo will perform a thrilling program featuring the virtuosity of Stravinsky, the tranquility of Arvo Pärt, and the romanticism of Rachmaninoff. During the concert, you can enjoy delicious sweets, coffee, and tea!
Let yourself be swept away by a spectacular fulldome planetarium show with live music! Travel with the Scholtes & Janssens Piano Duo from Mars to Neptune and back again. In the Artis Planetarium, Scholtes and Janssens will perform Gustav Holst's seven-part masterpiece ‘The Planets’ in the original version for two pianos. The music and images of space and planets reinforce each other and make you forget for a moment that you are on Earth.
The young up-and-coming jazz pianist Kitano Hernández Solano joins forces with Dutch top pianist Harmen Fraanje for an evening filled with jazz, Mexican folk, and original compositions. Both pianists enjoy seeking out challenging, exciting, and inspiring encounters on stage, and tonight they will challenge each other on our two concert grand pianos at De Duif. Mexican and Dutch tapas included!
The Century of Simeon is a documentary about composer Simeon ten Holt, known for his iconic Canto Ostinato. In addition to this masterpiece, the film also highlights his lesser-known compositions, such as Soloduiveldansen and Incantatie IV. The film features performances by Hannes Minnaar, Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens, and the Oer Ensemble, among others.
Piano duo Amacord, consisting of husband and wife Maarten den Hengst and Ivana Alkovic, will provide a delightful, relaxing Sunday afternoon in the atmospheric Meerpadkerk (Meerpad Church). Dream away to Fauré's Dolly Suite and the romance of Schubert, among others. The concert is free for residents of Amsterdam-Noord. Includes coffee, tea, and snacks! Free admission!
Come listen to the enchanting story of Babar, the brave little elephant who travels from the jungle to the big city - and back again! In this special family concert, Huib Ramaer compellingly narrates the famous story of Babar, while two virtuoso pianists, Tobias Borsboom & Yukiko Hasegawa, bring Francis Poulenc's music to life – four hands, one piano, and a world full of fantasy. A cheerful, exciting, and moving musical fairy tale for young and old! Afterwards, there will be a drawing workshop. Read more below!
Messiaen's Vision de l'Amen is one of the most iconic works in the history of piano duo. This seven-part musical monument is synonymous with virtuosity, extraordinary harmonies, and challenging ensemble playing, conveying a message about the meaning of ‘amen’, gratitude, our existence, and the transcendence to a world we cannot see. Messiaen specialists Ralph van Raat and Håkon Austbø (Norway) recorded the work in 2012. This recording is still considered one of the most impressive ever. Tonight, the duo will perform the work live at De Duif during the closing concert of the 13th Piano Duo Festival Amsterdam!