Matthijs van Dijk on his piece “Moments In A Life”.
Watch my interview with Cape Town (South Africa) based contemporary art music composer, arranger, and violinist Matthijs van Dijk on his piece “Moments In A Life”. The piece deals with key moments in the life of South African freedom fighter and Rivonia Trialist Denis Goldberg. These include formative childhood experiences, his time with uMkhonto we Sizwe, and life in prison. Pivotal moments in South Africa's history are presented as seen through his eyes, aiming to give a voice to those not in a position to tell their own stories.
Matthijs van Dijk has written several commissions for chamber ensembles and orchestras such as the Carnegie Hall-affiliated Decoda Ensemble, I Musicanti & Peter Donohoe, the LGT Young Soloists, and the Signum Quartet. Performances have taken place at the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, the Amsterdam String Quartet Biennale, St John’s Smith Square, and the Pierre Boulez Saal among others. A performance of his quartet movement “(rage) rage against the” has been scheduled at Carnegie Hall for May 2023.
This interview might be part of my upcoming book where I will select some of my interviews with expanded music composers. If you are interested to subscribe (pre-order) hardcopy of the book then please write me PM.