Echoes of Nothing
Fringe programmes in collaboration with Conservatorium van Amsterdam
Inspired by the quote ‘Every something is an echo of nothing’ by composer John Cage, three students from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam are curating their own concert series.
On a regular basis there are special out-of-the-box mini concerts in the Entrance Hall of the Muziekgebouw, before and/or after a concert in the Grote Zaal. The mini concerts reflect on the programming in the Grote Zaal and offer a new perspective on the concert experience.
In collaboration with
Jasmine Karimova (1998) is a Tajik/Australian composer living in The Netherlands. Currently pursuing a master’s in classical composition at the Conservatory van Amsterdam, her musical expression is as diverse as it is profound. Jasmine is a versatile artist: she sings, plays the organ and the music she composes cover a wide range of styles. Her compositions, for which she collaborated with ensembles such as Netherlands Chamber Choir and CvA Symphony Orchestra, reflect the world around her and her own feelings. She has performed on stages such as the Muziekgebouw, Carré and Olympic Stadium in Moscow and collaborated with . Three years in a row, one of her compositions opened the International Organ Symposium at the Orgelpark in Amsterdam. She also creates interdisciplinary work, including the short film FIFU made in Japan in collaboration with director Lavinia Xausa and the Japanese folk trio Hougaku Sannin-musume. Recent compositions include Mia en de Leeuw and The Whale, a multimedia exploration of sound pollution underwater.
Spanish-born Jaime Peña (2002) is a versatile clarinetist and composer active in the Netherlands and abroad. As a freelance musician, he regularly performs with various ensembles such as the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Phion and JongNBE. Jaime is an enthusiastic performer of contemporary music. Last season, he was part of the Lucerne Festival Academy and performed with the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra in KKL Lucerne. In addition, he was instrumentalist in residence at the Festival du Aix-en-Provence in 2024. As a composer, Jaime mixes everyday sounds with electronic elements. He wants to make modern music that is accessible and recognisable, complex but also ‘cool’. He also makes a strong case for the E-flat clarinet by creating new works and arrangements for this instrument. Jaime graduated cum laude from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he was taught by Arno Piters (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) and Hans Colbers (Residentie Orkest). He has also won several prizes in solo and chamber music competitions.
Sean Haid (1999) is a Canadian countertenor based in Amsterdam. With a wide variety of repertoire, recent highlights include appearances as a soloist with the Dutch National Opera at the International Young Patrons Gala, Carmina Burana with the Orchestre Métropolitain (Montréal), Handel's Alcina with the Neumeyer Consort and Paul Goodwin (Mainz), and Harrison Birtwistle's Orpheus Elegies at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. Recent self-produced projects include Tulipes baroques, a recital tour of Dutch baroque music in Canada, Seven Shades of Love at the Tuvāk Zvaigznēm Festival in Nurmiži (Latvia), and Sonnets, a recital. Sean is thrilled to be a curator of the Echoes of Nothing series for the second time and looks forward to more daring and innovative collaborations.
Concerts with Echoes of Nothing fringe programme
