News: Now Bachelor of the Arts Graduate

A few weeks back I graduated as Bachelor of the Arts, after two years of studying Composition for the Media and another two years of Composition and Sound Design for Adaptive Systems at the University of the Arts Utrecht. It has been quite a rollercoaster ride trying to get the most out of every single project, learned so much more that could initially comprehend. I want to thank everyone who helped me through the whole thing: my teachers, tutors, friends and my parents.

Time for the next big steps, one step at a time!

DGI Exhibit promotional video Voice Over

Lemaire Creative Branding produced the promotional video for the next Digital Graphics Group International convention in Amsterdam in 2016. I did the voice over for it!

On Top Of The World

Bob Thole, the composer of this crazy awesome project asked me to play the percussion in his soundtrack. Have a peek!

Droomvergunning

For the documentary Droomvergunning I played the darabuka and santoor. Composer Lotte Sterk asked me to join the team of great musicians to do one gig to promote the documentary and the music in the documentary itself. With a middle-eastern feel combined with Dutch Hiphop we play the transitioning and background Droomvergunning. Droomvergunning tells the tale of the rough life of a young boy that is an asylum seeker from Afghanistan.

24-hours Hogelandsymphonie (Jacob Lekkerker)

Got a call from Jacob Lekkerkerker who was in need of a percussionist to climb the bell-tower of the Church in Zuurdijk and play the bell (weighing a whopping 669 kilo’s) for his 24 hour lasting concert. So a few weeks later there I was, musically conversing with electronic artist and guitarist Alfredo Genovesi. Filling the air in the church and it’s near vicinity with some very nice soundscapes with a total of 11.5 hours spent in the tower… -what an experience! Very surreal and dreamy. There’s was nice article about the happening in the local (and therefor Dutch) paper.

Working with Parne Gadje

Since early 2014 I’ve been playing together with the band Parne Gadje. A group of skilled virtuosos with a passion for music. With influences from balkan, middle east, and hints of punk here and there now the band can also put organic electronics to that list. Using audio recorded on the streets, in nature, around the house, or synthesised digitally in whatever way possible, I feed the ears of the audience an additional layer of sound to the story the the band is already telling. I program every digital instrument to play with live. Every now and then I also just grab an acoustic instrument to play with. Varying from qarquabou, to santoor, from jawharp to doumbeck. Otherwise the usual sounds of mercedes 508 engines, throatsinging, falling gravel, crashing metal trash or granular synthesis of breaking wine glasses are performed with. An awesome blend. For me it’s the first group to perform with using a laptop and some form of digital controlling and I’m loving it.

In the meantime we’ve done shows at several festivals and theatre’s and collaborations with De Waterlanders among others. Always a blast with these lads!

Droomvergunning

Two Dutch documentary makers, Paula Vonhof and Caroline Keman made Droomvergunning. A moving documentary about children in an asylum center was the outcome. With music by Lotte Sterk. She asked me to play santoor and doumbeck in her compositions. We played them at a promotional gig in Amsterdam and recorded them in the studio for the documentary itself.

The Flock

The Dutch Indie-game developer Vogelsap is releasing on of the most awesome, award-winning horror multiplayer games they call The Flock. It’s an asymmetrical online multiplayer game that boasts a challenging new mechanic and brings the eeriest audible tension to the player. Immersive! The Sound Design, brilliantly done by Elephant Ears, now has my voice as the game’s creepy main character: the Flock!

Zaterdag Nacht with on eva

I did a sort of 10-hour project with Marianne Heinis from on eva. Within 10 hours we got to know each other for the first time, wrote a song, practiced it, recorded and uploaded it.

Shortfilm “Languor of Life”

Director Wouter Hoes asked me to do the Sound Design for his shortfilm. It was also a great experience to work with Felix Pulmano as voice actor. The movie uses very few layers to convey it’s story, so the sound design also asked for a very minimal approach. Here’s the result:

View Languor of Life

Felix Pulmano doing Voice Over