Composition and performance

'Sileen' was composed by Rutger Zuydervelt as a commission by Musica, for the festival OORtreders, 22 October 2016 (Neerpelt, Belgium). It was performed outdoors, with 50 students of the Academy for Music and Words in Mol.

The score for the 20 minute piece gives the performers a choice between three notes, each played for exactly 30 seconds (from soft to loud to soft, like a wave). The three parts of the score have different notes and repetitions, with combinations that are at times harmonic, and sometimes dissonant.

It's an easy enough structure, but playing the piece wasn't that easy, as we found out during rehearsal. First of all, playing a 30 seconds note can be difficult (we had one participant fainting). Also, playing with a 'fade-in' is practically impossible for some instruments. And there's the difficulty with the tuning in a cold environment. But nonetheless the performers pulled of a great job!

The composition was performed by young students (age 10 to 15), playing mainly flutes, saxophones, violins and voice.

A recording of the performance can be heard here.

Foto's by Marc Ras