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born in 1970, he studied sound engineering and
subsequently composition at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He studied
with Diderik Wagenaar, Gilius van Bergelijk and Louis Andriessen, the
prominent figures of the so-called Hague School, but despite certain formal
similarities his music has nothing in common with the spirit of that school.
Michel van der Aa employs the atonal idiom with absolute freedom, while the
computer is a natural tool for him, not so much for composition but the
production of soundtracks, which constitute yet another instrument, as it
were, and enrich his musical language.
The interest in the visual and dramatic aspect of music has prompted the
composer to experiment with miming and acting of musicians in his
performances. Most recently, van der Aa completed a programme in film
direction at the New York Film Academy. He has collaborated with
choreographers: Kazuko Hirabayashi, Philipp Blan-chard, Ben Wright,
Annabella Lopez Ochoa, and film makers: Hal Hartley and Peter Greenaway.
The music of Michel van der Aa has been featured in major festivals
including Berliner Festspiele, Festival d’Automne ± Paris,
Donau-eschinger Musiktage, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, the Moscow Music Week, the
Music Festival in Yekaterinburg, the Zagreb Biennale, the Matinee op de
Vrije Zaterdag, the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Series, Nederlandse
Muziekdagen, Spring Loaded Festival in London and the ‘Warsaw Autumn’.
It has been performed by such ensembles and orchestras as the the Norrköping
Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra (under
Peter Eötvös), Esprit Orchestra (Canada), Orkest de Volharding, New
National Theatre Orchestra of Tokyo, Netherlands Opera, the Schönberg
Ensemble (under Reinbert de Leeuw), musikFabrik, asko, Albany Dogs of Desire,
Continuum (Toronto), and the Ives Ensemble.
Van der Aa is the first Dutchman to win the prestigious International
Gaudeamus Prize (1999, for Between). In 2000 he won the Matthijs Vermeulen
Incentive Prize from the Amsterdam Arts Foundation (for Attach).
Future plans include an opera commissioned by Nederlandse Oper, due in 2006.
Selected works: Auburn for guitar and soundtrack (1994),
Oog for cello and soundtrack (1995), Now [in fragments] for soprano,
clarinet/bass clarinet cello and soundtrack (1995), Starring at the Space
for chamber orchestra (1995–96), Span for ensemble and soundtrack
(1996), Between for percussion quartet and soundtrack (1997), Wake for
percussion duo (1997), Solo for percussion (1997), Quadrivial for flute,
violin, cello and piano (1997), Double for violin and piano (1997), Faust
for ensemble and soundtrack (1998), Above for ensemble and soundtrack
(1999), Writing to Vermeer, electronic music for Andriessen’s opera;
libretto: Peter Greenaway (1999), Caprice for violin solo (1999), Attach for
ensemble and soundtrack (1999–2000), See-through for orchestra (2000),
Just before for piano and soundtrack (2000), The New Math(s), soundtrack for
Hal Hartley’s film (with L. Andriessen; 2000), Here[to be found] for
soprano, chamber orchestra and soundtrack (2001), Vuur for ensemble and
soundtrack (2001), One, chamber opera for soprano, video and soundtrack to a
libretto by the composer (2002), Here [in circles] for soprano and ensemble
(2002), Here [enclosed] for chamber orchestra and soundtrack (2003),
Solitaire for violin and soundtrack (2003), Memo for violin and portable
cassette recorder (2003).
He also has to his credit the black-and-white 16 mm film Passage (2002).
One, chamber opera
In works by Michel van der Aa you often feel like looking around to where
the sound is actually coming from. In some pieces the musicians get
invisible company from a tape that enters into a dialogue with them, while
in other pieces the visible instruments sound in unexpected ways. For van
der Aa sound is something mouldable, something that can constantly assume
other forms, sometimes recognizable, sometimes not – exactly the same
thing that fascinates
a playwright in the human spirit and its bodily affectations.
This is not coincidental; van der Aa is indeed a playwright in his music.
People are flexible or stubborn, dominate or get the short end of the stick,
reinforce or counteract each other, just like van der Aa’s sounds,
affecting audiences with expressive power. When he doesn‘t provide
images with his music, these arise in the mind of even the most
unimaginative listener, or else the musicians visualize the dramatic
potential.
In the opera One van der Aa combines singing, video and electronic sounds.
The theatrical performance of the protagonist, played and sung by Barbara
Hannigan (soprano), is supported and complemented by video images. The video
projections and the live sections form a perfect fit with each other.
Synopsis:
Five old women each tell about a fundamental and identical incident in their
life. The protagonist of the piece turns out to have played a key role in
each of these incidents. Gradually we discover what her relationship to the
old women is, and a penetrating portrait arises of
a woman who has completely lost herself.
One is the third collaboration between Michel van der Aa and Barbara
Hannigan. Their previous projects were Here [to be found] and Here [in
circles]. The former was premiered during the 2001 Donaueschinger Musiktage,
for which it was written (performers: B. Hannigan and the Dutch Radio
Chamber Orchestra). The latter was premiered during the 2002 Gaudeamus Music
Week by B. Hannigan and the asko Ensemble.
Production: Gaudeamus Foundation, Vereiniging van Aktuele Muziek Podia (vamp),
with assistance from MuziekGroep Nederland and De Ijsbreker Music Centre.
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