Nieuw Ensemble . Ed Spanjaard

With this contemporary Chinese programme, the Nieuw Ensemble from Amsterdam is making its debut in deSingel. In 1991 and 1992, the ensemble's concert series 'Nieuwe Muziek uit China' (New Music from China) was a great success. The discovery of a group of highly talented Chinese composers who grew up during the Cultural Revolution is one of the most notable milestones in the history of the Nieuw Ensemble and its artistic director, Joel Bons. Over the years, the ensemble has kept in touch with this new generation of Chinese composers and recorded several celebrated CDs of their work. The appreciation of the music of Qu Xiaosong (b. 1952), Guo Wenjing (b. 1956) and Tan Dun (b. 1957) started in New York and has now led to international recognition. A compilation of the very best pieces from the Nieuw Ensemble's Chinese repertoire is at last touring the concert halls again. The concerts are part of 'ChinaTown', the China festival at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, which also includes a spectacular traditional Chinese bell music concert programmed in deSingel. For the occasion, the Nieuw Ensemble is performing with Chinese vocal and instrumental soloists, including the traditional instruments pipa (Chinese lute) and zheng (Chinese zither)