The American George Gershwin is one of composer and pianist Rembrandt Frerichs’s greatest inspirations. Like a bolt from the blue, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for piano and jazz band burst onto the European music scene nearly a century ago. And to this day, the work continues to resonate. Anyone who has ever heard the piercing clarinet solo that opens this popular piano concerto will never forget it. A hundred years later, we set out to find today’s Dutch Gershwin.
Michael Gieler, artistic director of Music Stages: ‘Rembrandt is a wonderful artist, versatile and inventive. We’ve asked him and three young Dutch composers to follow in Gershwin’s footsteps and write a new piece that bridges the gap between jazz and classical music. They’ll have a fantastic group of musicians at their disposal for the performance. Full swing guaranteed!’
