Schakering (2026)

Program note:

“For me, composing music is the pursuit of an ideal that you vaguely feel inside.”

Ton de Leeuw

Schakering is a reflection on the work of the Dutch composer Ton de Leeuw, inspired by

his philosophical worldview. By exploring his rich compositional oeuvre and his

intellectual writings and interviews, I tried to uncover his fundamental musical concepts

and identify intersections within my own artistic endeavors. These intersections serve as a

meeting point to establish a compositional dialogue. Among the key areas of

convergence are the utilization of space in music, the incorporation of microtonality, and

the profound influence of non-Western musical traditions.

 

One of the central ideas of Schakering is based on De Leeuw’s notion of comparing music

to a stream of water that is constantly changing while being fundamentally the same. He

discusses the connection between an ever-changing stream of water against the constant

bed of a river. According to De Leeuw, this idea is derived from the Eastern philosophical

influences that have shaped his musical philosophy. Schakering embodies a cyclical and

repetitive structure, with musical ideas developing, changing, and transforming while

revolving around and ultimately returning to the same core.

 

I would like to thank Jos Smolders, Gaudeamus Festival, and Moving Furniture for this

commission, which gave me an opportunity to artistically contribute to the

commemoration of Ton de Leeuw’s 100th birthday.

 

Part of the material for this piece was produced at Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch with

the generous support of their staff.