Hermes Ensemble olv. Vykintas Baltakas

The Norwegian Rolf Wallin is currently one of the most prominent Scandinavian trendsetters. As well as being a versatile composer, he is also an artist-performer and prized trumpeter. This concert puts his richly contrasting work in the spotlight. 'Strange News' tells the story of a former child soldier. Together with author and video artist Josse De Pauw, he visited a number of Christian Relief Network projects in Uganda and Congo. The resulting work, an intriguing interplay between an ensemble, a film, a storyteller and a surround sound system, reflects on the tough process of re-integrating a child soldier into society. 'Strange News' acts as a small window on the world, and confronts you with remarks like "I want a life more or less like yours. Would that be possible?". 'The Age of Wire and String' also allows you to look through a window. These eight miniatures for piano and ensemble sound enigmatic and abstract. Music flows and then stops, hints and then goes quiet. This is exactly what you will experience during 'Solve et coagula'. With a touch of alchemy, a chaotic mass of sound unravels, then comes together in a moment of balance and completeness.