After many hours of experimenting and even more speakers blown up, two of WOW’s most talented musicians come together during a one-off live performance that uses the particular acoustics of the Vertical Gallery – the stairwell in the former polytechnic. Bram Stadhouders is a virtuoso guitarist who performs all over the globe; Marlies van Gangelen one of the most respected oboists in the country. Two young talents who elevate modern music onto higher planes.
Four speakers will be placed from the bottom to the top of the stairs. From them sound hyper-realistic church organ melodies. Bram Stadhouders lets those dance through the space in rhythmic patterns, transforming the stairwell into a virtual cathedral upside down. Guitar and laptop are his instruments, while Marlies van Gangelen improvises on oboe, thus creating lines in the musical landscape. She herself moves along the stairs, too: rhythm, usually a purely musical element, is now spatial as well.
Bram Stadhouders (website)
Bram Stadhouders (1987) is considered to be one of the most interesting musicians based in the Netherlands. Guitarplaying was a natural consequence of being born into a musical family, and the vibrant open-mindedness of the Dutch music world inspired him to follow his own course and take his guitar to unexplored horizons of improvisation, composition, electronic ambient music and vocal-like melody. He studied electronic music at the Utrecht School of the Arts, and then got a Master’s degree in composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. His love for the human voice has led him to work with extraordinary vocalists such as Sidsel Endresen, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, Urna, Sebastian Brouwer, Sinikka Langeland, and much more. For the way Stadhouders composes, there is no difference between “classical” musicians and “improvisers”. The two worlds seem to blend effortlessly in his work.
Starting from an early age, Bram has been selected for several important highlights such as the Dutch Young VIP tour, North Sea Jazz Composition Assignment, “Take Five Europe”, BIMhuis Carte Blanche and more. His endless energy has brought his performances to mayor festivals and stages all over the world, one example being his longterm collaboration with Poland’s most famous saxophone player Grzech Piotrowski, or his experiments on an “Ice-guitar” with ice-percussionist Terje Isungset, or his work “Henosis” being performed by the Wroclaw Philharmonic Choir, apart from the Netherlands Chamber Choir, who performed 17 concerts with his trio. He has released 7 CD’s, 4 of which are on Challenge Records. Some other musicians that he has performed with are Jim Black, Arve Henriksen, Wolfert Brederode, Marcin Wasilewski, Arild Andersen, Bulgarian Choir Angelite, Onno Govaert, Harmen Fraanje, Aart Strootman. The name of his latest work is Cantata and is performed with a trio of tenor vocalist Sebastian Brouwer, himself, and elektronica-wizard David Hoogerheide.
Marlies van Gangelen (website)
Marlies van Gangelen (1988) studied at the Conservatory of Utrecht, after which she continued her lessons at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Ernest Rombout, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2011. While she was studying at the conservatory Marlies played in several ensembles and orchestras including the National Youth Orchestra, the Young Dutch Wind Ensemble, the Amsterdam Bach Consort and l’Orchestra Particolare. In this period she travelled abroad for various projects and concerts in Europe, China, Jordan and Libanon.
In 2012 Marlies moved to London to follow a Master’s in Leadership at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. During this course she focussed on artistic and creative processes in various contexts. She developed new skills as composer, artistic leader, improviser and performer. While living in London she became a member of the London Improvisers Orchestra (2013-2014) and joined the collectiveAfrica Express, an initiative of Damon Albarn (fame of Blur and Gorillaz).
Marlies graduated at the Guildhall In 2014 with a composition for “deconstructed oboe”. The examining board found the concept behind her project an “exceptionally beautiful idea”, the composition itself was rated as “strong”. In 2013 Marlies joined the Berlin based ensemble s t a r g a z e.
Recently Marlies was asked to join the Dutch-based Kyteman Orchestra. This orchestra was founded six years ago by Colin Benders, who aims at a mix of hip-hop, jazz and classical music. In the summer of 2016 she played a David Bowie tribute in the Royal Albert Hall with s t a r g a z e.
Entry to the concert is free. See Facebook and click attend.
