The programme opens with an introduction given by Maarten van Rossem, a historian specialised in the United States.

Maarten van Rossem is perhaps the Netherlands’ best-known commentator. In his own inimitable way he provides an incisive, critical analysis of the nation with which he has a love-hate relationship: America. The music is quintessentially American and provides a fine overview of the current composer’s scene. In Cheating, lying, stealing David Lang investigates his worst traits, ‘since composers always want to show how noble they are.’ The eventual winner of the 2014 Tromp International Percussion Competition 2014 can pull out all the stops in Mackey’s Micro-Concerto. The work was inspired by his fascination with the one-man-band mentality of percussionists. Bryce Dessner, composer in residence of the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, has composed a piece for solo percussion especially for the winner of this year’s competition.

Scherpdenkers is a joint initiative of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven and the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, please visit www.scherpdenkers.nl

percussion Dominique Vleeshouwers – winner Tromp Concours 2014