Today we will start a whole new series about the current generation of Dutch composers. Who influences who? What are important sources for musical inspiration? And what are their motives?
We will broadcast recent works by them every month, but also ask them for one key piece that is dear to them or that played an important role in their development. To conclude we will ask them to play a work from a colleague for the next programme of this series. In this way a canon of new Dutch music will automatically develop. We will start this series with the Greek-Dutch composer Nikos Ioakeim (Athens, 1978).
When Ioakeim was 14-years-old he wrote a novel that his parents didn’t approve of. He tried, without success, to be an actor in experimental (and non-experimental) films. In stead of causing a furor as a rock star, rumor has it that he studied music science and that he, because of his suspected Hebrew background, started a thesis about Aaron Copland who, hauling the Holy Family on his shoulders, was apart from being Jewish also homosexual and politically left.
In 2004 he emigrated to the Netherlands to become a member of the Dutch proletariat and worked at several factories. His ambition to study composition was fulfilled when he was accepted to the Rotterdam Conservatoire in 2005, after being rejected by several conservatoires because of ‘lack of artistic quality’ or ‘being a established and productive composer already’.In the next couple of years he had the privilege to meet Klaas de Vries once a week. Because of him he was granted a Erasmus scollarship in the fall of 2008, to study under the eccentric of the Universe Frank Nuyts.
Nikos Ioakeim is left-handed, (literally) short-sighted, lost all of his wisdom teeth, has had an operation to his appendix and a frenulectomy and suffered from two acute kidney stones. He has a fair skin because of hereditary, but harmless, hyperbilirubinemia. He has a large lump on both of his little toes (that he likes to call his ‘sixth toe’).He his a notorious book worm, what means a risk for keratoconus. Incidentally he gets diagnosed with a congenital hearth condition because of fear to be misunderstood at an older age. The latest news is that quite large lumps have been discovered at the left side of his thyroid cartilage.He is a night owl, sugar addict and vegetarian. Since 15 August 2012 he quit smoking after 15 years. For the rest he is ok.
1. Nikos Ioakeim. So real as though metaphysical.
Flemish Sinfonietta led by Raf de Keninck, Hans van Kerckhoven- male soprano, Katerina Konstantourou – celesta.
Recording by the composer.
2. Iannis Xenakis. Aïs.
Bariton Spyros Sakkas en slagwerker Sylvio Gualda, accompanied by the Symfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks led by Michel Tabachnik.
Col Legno WWE 20086
3. Nikos Ioakeim. Vaesanus!
G.A.M.E. ensemble led by Daan Janssens.
Recording by the composer
4. Katarzyna Szwed. No title yet, sorry (for R.).
Hermes Ensemble
Recording by the composer.
