G15 / Dag in de Branding
Festival for Contemporary Music

Ensemble Modelo62 Photographer Natascha Helmer

The G15 / Dag in de Branding one-day contemporary music festival is not a new concept. Four times a year this festival graces The Hague, shedding new light on the avant-garde in music with a buzzing programme. On 13 March, the 15th Edition of the festival takes contemporary music to four of The Hague’s finest cultural venues and packs a diverse programme into one eventful day!

The theme for the festival is ‘Microtonality’. What exactly does this mean? Between the twelve semi-tones of an octave lies a world made up of microtones: these nuances of intonation are easy for a violin or voice, but they have become lost and uncharted terrain for keyboard instruments bound by conventional tuning. Whilst this sounds abstract it simply applies to music made with intervals smaller than those of the conventional tempered scale.

“The aim was to challenge the way we listen to music,” says coordinator for Dag in de Branding Caroline Bakker. “The diversity of the programme means that contemporary classical music, pop, jazz, improvisation, opera, music theatre and cutting-edge electronic music are all incorporated. In one day, you travel from one extreme to the next, through very different worlds, which makes 12 hours of avant-garde music relatively easy
to digest.”

The programme begins at Korzo5HOOG at 15:00 with a programme entitled ‘Parabolic Perspectives’. Here, Ensemble Modelo62 (a young group of talented musicians from Argentina and Bulgaria to Cuba and Canada) dissect the traditional division of the octave in western music. The Programme includes pieces by composers Clarence Barlow, Janco Verduin, Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson, Keir Neuringer, and Santiago Santero.

Paard van Troje hosts a double concert from 16:30 featuring the Royal Improvisers Orchestra and EKE featuring guest musician Luc from The Ex. The Royal Improvisers Orchestra involves 19 musicians from all over the world. Daringly expressive, the musicians create a visual and theatrical experience. They team up with Eke, a trio of multiple instrument players who focus on reshaping free improvisation using elements of noise, jazz, 20th century composed music and punk. The result is a dynamic, forward-moving and fresh audio experience.

The Theater de Regentes becomes the third venue at 19:30 with a concert by the György Ligeti Academie, Sander Germanus, Lula Romero and Trevor Grahl, presenting an evening filled to the brim with contemporary sounds.

The final venue is the Theater aan het Spui. At 21.00, the New European Ensemble, in cooperation with Amnesty International, perform Hans Werner Henze’s ‘Voices’, conducted by Christian Karlsen, and featuring Dutch Alto Carina Vinke and Dutch Tenor Erik Slik.

‘Voices’ gives a voice to 22 poets from all corners of the globe, merging contemporary music and visual art around the theme ‘Human Rights’. This strong message, combined with Henze's musical expression and the talent of the New European Ensemble form an impressive performance. The new European Ensemble was founded in 2008 by 12 top young musicians, with the aim of demonstrating that new music is relevant to society. The photo exhibition entitled ‘Focus on Human Rights’ by Amnesty International can be viewed in the foyer of the Theatre aan het Spui.

For further information and ticket bookings please visit www.dagindebranding.nl

Holly Marder