Something Blue
This was a small project together with filmmaker Lola Mooij, who wanted to experiment with alternative ways of storytelling.
The Midnight Gospel: counterpoint in film
Yes, this post will have some spoilers, so if you’re sensitive about these things, just go watch The Midnight Gospel and come back later. It’s just 8 episodes anyway. So, of course, nowadays everybody’s inside basically. With the whole pandemic going on out there the best thing we can all do is stay inside. Thankfully,...
添水 – sōzu
When I sent my sister Eloysa Zelada the first sketches of what was going to be a 8-minute long solo piano piece she would play at her graduation recital, the first thing she told me was that it reminded her of the bamboo fountains one could find in Japanese gardens. In Santiago de Chile, where...
Zeven dagen alleen: Seven Days Alone
Can a period of isolation lead to a better understanding of our own lives and, therefore, to greater self-fulfillment? Jord takes part in this experiment, where he will stay alone in a house in the middle of the Dutch forest for seven days, meditating about different aspects of his life. 2019, directed by Dylan Werkman
Circles: things thought at the airport
This piece was performed on March 10, 2019 by Ensemble Nachtlicht and recorded and mixed by Lukas Simma. In it, the musicians reflect on some prompt texts written on the score and then improvise utilizing musical material from the score. In some cases, there is also a suggestion of the form a certain section could...
Orizuru Osen: making music for a silent film
Last year was quite an intense year for me. I finished my Bachelor’s degree in music composition and was left a feeling of “what now?” which was quite scary at the time. I didn’t know what to do or how to develop my career further. I had many interests but I seemed to be floating...
Girls of the Golden West: someone please explain
Last Tuesday I had the great opportunity to go see the new John Adams opera Girls of the Golden West, with a libretto by Peter Sellars, who was also the stage director. Being a great admirer of Adams’ work, and having never seen one of his operas live, I was quite excited. After the opera...
Mary Queen of Scots: a clash of two musical worlds
Your gifts are your downfall. Last week I got the chance to go see for the second time the beautiful film Mary Queen of Scots by British film director Josie Rourke, starring Saoirse Ronan in the title role and Margot Rosie as her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. The film was nominated this year for the Academy...
Oedipe: an opera is not just 3 hours of music
L’avenir te dira, si la Sphinge en mourant pleure de sa défaite, ou rit de sa victoire! Future will tell if the dying Sphinx cries for her defeat or laughs for her victory! A couple of weeks ago I went to the premiere of George Enescu’s opera Oedipe, a 3-hour long, French-language setting of the Greek...
Music and emotions: how to talk to your director
I find it very interesting how directors have a very different way of thinking about music than composers. It might seem obvious to both sides, but it's actually much more subtle and much more diverging than I initially thought.