Alba Rosa Viva! Festival 2022

Six charismatic young top musicians together form the ensemble for the fourth edition of the Alba Rosa Viva! Festival in the form of a festive concert evening. The heart of this evening is the final of the composition competition for young composers. One of the four finalists is the young Dutchman Primo Ish-Hurwitz with his chamber music work Listen. Traditionally, the Alba Rosa Viva! Festival also a warm plea for female composers, with beautiful works by Hanna Kulenty, Calliope Tsoupaki, Lili Boulanger, Ursula Mamlok and of course from Alba Rosa Viëtor. Together the festival ensemble will close the evening with the world premiere of Musing, which Nicoline Soeter especially for this concert.

Pianist and artistic director Reinild Mees is the driving force behind the composition competition and the festival Alba Rosa Viva!, dedicated to music by female composers and named after the Italian Alba Rosa Viëtor. This composer grew into a cosmopolitan artist, but fell into obscurity after her death – unjustly, as her witty songs prove. The program is full of dazzling and moving, but rarely heard music: a resounding plea to look beyond the male-dominated canon.

The Alba Rosa Viëtor Composition Competition encourages young composers to write new chamber music works. Previous winners: Mathilde Wantenaar (Netherlands), Jack Frerer (Australia) and Sílvia Lanao Aregay (Spain). The jury consists of the leading composers Willem Jeths, Judith Weir, Calliope Tsoupaki and Hanna Kulenty. The public chooses the winner of the Audience Award. Festive awards ceremony after the concert.