Dudok Quartet Amsterdam creates new festival

The Dudok Quartet Amsterdam is setting up its own chamber music festival, Dudok Muziekdagen, in Kampen, The Netherlands, from 16 to 19 May 2024. The players have invited musical friends Pieter Wispelwey, Hannes Minnaar, Shunske Sato, Shuann Chai, Mike Fentross, Hilary Summers and Maarten Ornstein to perform across 28 concerts and events.

The festival is themed around the idea of 'Home', with each member of the quartet programming a concert that offers chamber music ranging from familiar songs to contemporary music. There will also be an interactive element as the players share personal stories and engage with the audience.

The opening concert is curated by first violinist Judith van Driel, who was born in Kampen and tells a musical story about growing up there (16 May). Violist Marie-Louise De Jong's concert features Mahler, Brahms and Joey Roukens (17 May); cellist David Faber explores the feeling of displacement with music by Mussorgsky, Saariaho and Shostakovich (18 May); and second violinist Marleen Wester presents the festival's closing concert, including folk music performed on a Hardanger fiddle made for her by her father (19 May).

The Dudoks give a Tchaikovsky quartet cycle, cellist Pieter Wispelwey offers a Schubertiade and Hannes Minnaar performs Bach's Goldberg Variations. Alongside concerts, there will be events including walks of Kampen's historic centre, yoga to the accompaniment of Messiaen played on an original 16th-century organ, concerts for babies and a sing-along session. The quartet will also take part in educational activities in the lead up to the festival.

For more information see the festival's website.