Winter Road
G.V. Sviridov
When listening to this composition, we can imagine ourselves in a magical winter wonderland. "Winter Road" is a movement from the Snow storm suite, which was composed
by the Russian composer G.V. Sviridov (1915-1998). He wrote the work for the 1964 film of the same name.
Based on the stories of Aleksandr Pushkin, the film is full of drama and secret romances.
Originally written for a symphony orchestra, I was so impressed with this work that I decided to arrange it for harp.
This work can also be heard on my debut CD Seasons: landscape & animals. This CD takes you on a musical journey through the four seasons.
Each season features both the landscapes and the inhabitants. More information about the CD can be found here.
Etude no. 1
Phillip Glass
The American composer Phillip Glass is one of the founders of minimalist music. Glass describes himself as a composer of "music with repetitive structures," which he has helped evolve stylistically. In this Etude no1, Glass perfectly demonstrates his distinctive compositional style.
The work was originally written for piano but is also very suitable for the harp.
Au Matin
Marcel Tournier
Marcel Tournier (1879 - 1951) was one of the most important French harp player of his time. He was a professor at the Paris Conservatory and composer of several notable works, both with and without the harp.
This Concert Etude "In the Morning" contains very characteristic writing for harp: flowing arpeggios, subtle flageolets and rich harmonies.
Throughout the composition, the intensity and clarity grows, reflecting the early hours of the morning twilight. At the end, the harp reverberates in its full strength, including richly rolled chords with the instrument's impressive bass notes.
Comptine d'un autre d'été
Ludovico Einaudi
An absolute masterpiece by French composer Yann Tiersen. The title literally means "Children's song from another summer". It was written for the French romantic
comedy film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain. The film describes the fairy tale and romantic story of the young woman Amélie who decides one day that she can make other people happy with small things.
K466
Domenico Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) was a very famous Italian composer, harpsichordist and organist of the Baroque period.
He became known for his keyboard sonatas, they form an inexhaustibly rich and colorful body of work. They contain diverse influences, which he heard during his travels with the Spanish royal court.
This so-called 'Scarlatti sonata' is a one-movement work where it often has a two-movement structure. Each of his sonatas aimed to
develop one specific technical skill. The sonata was originally written for the harpsichord but is also very often played on the harp.
Chant des Fleurs
Michelle Sweegers
"Chant des Fleurs", or Flower Song, is a composition I composed for the electric harp.
Beginning with a quiet and melancholic intro, you can hear the wind singing along with the sounds of the harp. Then the flowers slowly start
to awaken with each layer of the looper symbolizing a new phase of the bloom. When the entire loop is complete, the cheerful and colorful
melody brings the work to its climax.
Vrijheid
Michelle Sweegers
The word "Freedom" is a concept that is very important. I composed this composition for the celebration of 75 years of 'Freedom of Heusden'.
In the work I try to show two opposing forces: the bass line that goes down step by step and the melody that wants to go in the other direction.
Sometimes something or someone continually thwarts you or pulls you down. But through your own hope and willpower
You still manage to break free and become free.
Interview: Omroep Tilburg
17 februari 2021
For the program CulTuur of Omroep Tilburg I was asked to give an interview. In the interview I talk about my debut CD-album,
my current projects and my future plans. I will also play the work Winter Road by G.V. Sviridov and I will play an own composition on the electric harp: Wandering in the forest.
Podium Witteman
24 februari 2019
Podium Witteman embraces the world of classical music, but also seeks out the boundaries with other genres such as pop, world music, or jazz. With space for special stories, young talent and performances by top musicians.
In this broadcast I was invited as "Young Talent" and was allowed to tell about my musical development. I also played a shortened version
of the composition Valse op.26 by the Belgian composer Joseph Jongen.
De Muziekfabriek
9 november 2019
An accessible, cheerful and relaxed lunch program. With inspiring news, attention for young classical talent and above all: lots of beautiful and surprising music, from ancient to brand new. Every Saturday, De Muziekfabriek presents the Free Play section. In Free Play, host Jet Berkhout challenges young musicians to breathe new life into a classical piece. Away from the classical notes and in search of their own personal sound.
In the broadcast I played the well-known harp piece 'Le Jardin Mouillé' by J. de la Presle. I was also challenged to transform a well-known classical piece into a completely new version. I gladly accepted that challenge and I chose the work 'Aquarium' from the Carnival des Animaux by Camille Saint-Saëns.
I arranged this beautiful underwater world for the electric harp. Among other things, I use a loop station in which I stack the various string parts one by one. Next we arrive at the modulation in which I improvise on the 2nd theme. After a chromatic ladder comes down the looper comes back on so you can hear the full orchestra again.
Nationale Finale - PCC
26 april 2015
The Princess Christina Competition is a leading platform for music education and talent development for children and young people. It is the most prestigious classical music competition in the Netherlands. After I passed the first three rounds I was allowed to perform in the National Finals.
In the final I played the works 'Impromptu-Caprice' by Gabriel Pierné and 'Chanson dans la nuit' by Carlos Salzedo.
In this final I was rewarded with a second prize. In addition, I won the JON prize and the MAX Young Talent Prize. The JON prize means that I was allowed to give some solo performances with the JeugdOrkest Nederland and the MAX Young Talent Prize was a concert recording by Omroep MAX for the broadcast on NPO Radio 4.
Spiders - Paul Patterson
11 mei 2013
From 2011 to 2016 I studied at the Academie Muzikaal Talent in Utrecht. In 2013 all the apprentices of the Academy were assigned to organize their own concert in their own hometown. This series of concerts by the apprentices were called 'satellite concerts'. My concert took place in the recently reopened Opstandingskerk in Tilburg.
Besides the music, there was also a visual aspect for the audience to enjoy: large images projected on the wall.
During the concert I played the 4th movement from "Spiders" called 'Tarantula', composed by Paul Patterson. The movements from this work are named after four of the most deadly spiders. The last movement is the 'Tarantula', it is believed that if you are bitten by this spider it causes a hysterical dance impulse!
75-jaar Vrijheid Heusden
2 november 2019
This concert was on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Freedom of Heusden. Under the theme of "Peace, Freedom and Friendship", numerous activities were organized for young and old. At the commemoration in the church of Heusden I was allowed to contribute in musical intermezzo's.
One of the pieces I played was an own arrangement of 3 Scottish songs, : Fear a Bhàta, Auld Lang Synde and O Flower of Scotland. This was in honor of the Scottish delegation that had come to celebrate the liberation. Scotland, after all, played a crucial role in the liberation of Heusden.
Slotgrachtconcert Schagen
25 augustus 2013
After winning the audience award at the Chamber Music Festival in Hoorn, we were invited as Duo Sweegers & van Andelto perform at the Slotgracht concert in Schagen. It was a very beautiful and fun location: in the open air on a pontoon.
We played various works including Cappriccio op.43 by Aubert Lemeland. Lemeland had a typically French and recognizable own harmonic language and timbre. In this challenging work for harp and clarinet this is clearly expressed.
Seasons: landscape & animals
Michelle Sweegers
In this 9-part video series I will tell you more about my debut CD album Seasons: landscape & animals. While listening to this CD, you will be taken on a musical journey through the four seasons. In each season, we will see both the landscapes and its inhabitants. The music and the various possibilities of the harp reminded me of the different colors of the seasons. Each season has its own color, character and emotion. Despite these differences, they belong to one unity, one year. This is exactly how I look at the music: despite the fact that every piece of music is different, there will always be a connection between them.
Order the CD here!
