Schönberg 150: Violin Concerto turns to the Netherlands After 31 Years

UPDATE: Due to a miscommunication between De Nieuwe Kerk and Amare, the concert will not take place in De Nieuwe Kerk, but in the Paleiskerk, Paleisstraat 8, 2514 JA The Hague, and it will start at 20:30!

Not only will The New European Ensemble celebrate the 150th anniversary of composer Arnold Schönberg’s birth in 2025 but also the 15th anniversary of the ensemble itself. With an exciting and forward-thinking program, the ensemble pays tribute to the composer who has permanently changed the course of music history.

Under the direction of conductor Henk Guittart, the New European Ensemble will present a fresh new version of Schönberg’s Violin Concerto, a work that has not been performed in the Netherlands since 1994. This groundbreaking piece returns, with Maria Milstein as the soloist. She is the first Dutch violinist since Jaring Walta in 1981 to take on the challenge of this virtuosic and intense work.

Additionally, a brand new piece by Dutch composer Martijn Padding will have its world premiere: Ma Vie en Couleurs. This work is inspired by Schönberg’s colorful expressionist paintings and forms a contemporary dialogue with his musical legacy.

The concert will conclude with the Serenade Op. 24, a work that holds a special place in the ensemble’s history: in 2009, it was the very first piece performed by the New European Ensemble at its inception.
A unique opportunity to rediscover Schönberg’s innovative power and experience contemporary music in all its glory!

Emlyn Stam, Artistic Director of the New European Ensemble:
“In this program, the authenticity of the New European Ensemble is fully showcased. After 31 years, we are bringing Schönberg’s Violin Concerto back to the Netherlands, a work that has been unjustly absent for so long. Additionally, we return to our roots with the Serenade Op. 24, the first piece we ever played as an ensemble. And with Martijn Padding’s new composition, we add a contemporary voice to this tribute to Schönberg. This concert embodies what NEuE stands for: tradition and innovation in one breath.”

Program:
Arnold Schönberg – Violin Concerto (world premiere version for ensemble by Henk Guittart)
Martijn Padding – Ma Vie en Couleurs (world premiere)
Arnold Schönberg – Serenade Op. 24

Performers:
New European Ensemble
Henk Guittart – conductor
Maria Milstein – violin solo

Concert Dates:
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 – 20:00 PM, Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg
Thursday, April 10, 2025 – 20:15 PM, Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw
Friday, April 11, 2025 – 20:15 PM, The Hague, Nieuwe Kerk – Amare

With thanks to: Fonds Podiumkunsten, Gemeente Den Haag and the Kersjesfonds.