EN
FRNew Music From The Netherlands
Website(s) : http://www.beumerenvanham.nl
The duo Beumer & van Ham presents two new works for Alto saxophone and Piano called «Afthershock » and « Bird, Candle & Ignorance », a piece about communication in difficult times.
Biography
From the very beginning of their collaboration as a saxophone and piano duo, Sander Beumer and Hans van Ham have enthusiastically stimulated Dutch and foreing composers to contribute works for this excellent combination. Both musicians graduated in the 80s from the Utrecht Conservatorium, where Sander studied saxophone with Ed Bogaard, while Hans was a pupil of pianist Hakon Austbo. They later pursued their studies abroad ans specialised in Chamber music.
Sander Beumer studied in Utrecht at the “Utrecht Conservatory ” with Ed Boogaard and Andre Hemmers. Afther finishing there with the soloist diploma he continued his studies in Basel at the Hochschule Für Music , with professor Iwan Roth. Hans van Ham studied also in Utrecht at the ” Utrecht Conservatory ” with Ria Groot and Hakon Ausbo
More information
New music from the Netherlands
As a duo Hans and I have always looked for new music, ofthen we have encouraged (young) composers to write a new works for us. Many times this could be commissioned by the Dutch Gouvernment , FPK Netherlands ( fonds voor de podiumkunsten )
The two works we like to propose to the festival are both commisioned by the FPK and are edited by DONEMUS Amsterdam. Bird, Candle & Ignorance , by Lowell Dijkstra is a little bit older, but a real beauty for the saxophone repertoire. The new work
” Preludes for saxophone and piano” by Gijs van Dijk consists of a series of separated parts, more or less related to each other. The language is epic, lyrical and sometimes ironic and a little jazzy. Lowell Dijkstra and Gijs van Dijk both studied at some point with Tristan Keuris at the Utrecht Conservatoire. In that period Hans Kox and Joep Straesser also where professors at this institute, they both have written important works for the saxophone.
” When the Duo Beumer and van Ham asked me for a premiere composition for the World Saxophone Congress, with a duration of ten minutes, I immediately thought about Six Preludes.
As a result I did compose Six short energetic Preludes, each based on plain material,
diverse in mood and atmosphere, with alternately melodic and hectic passages
and all six ending with a connecting end phrase. I hope you will enjoy.” Gijs van Dijk