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Since the world premiere of his first Piano Concerto in Tanglewood in 2001, De Raaff's Piano Concerto No. 1 has had an impressive amount of performances around the world with many different soloists, conductors and orchestras, and the greatest reception in the reviews. In season 2023-2024 Rutger Jansen and the Zemlinsky Chamber Orchestra will give three performances of the Piano Concerto, conducted by Fergus McAlpine.
The Tanglewood Music Center/Boston Symphony Orchestra commissioned De Raaff to write this Piano Concerto No. 1 which was premiered at the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music in 2001 by pianist Ralph van Raat and conductor Ludovic Morlot.
World premiere of Sfera for orchestra in the ZaterdagMatinee
In season 2022-2023 chief conductor Karina Canellakis will conduct the world premiere of Sfera commissioned by the ZaterdagMatinee in the famous Grote Zaal of the Concertgebouw. It was written originally for the 2020-2021 season but was postponed due to the COVID-19 restrictions in Dutch Cultural life. It is composed for the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and dedicated to De Raaff's mother.
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Premiere Emily Dickinson Songs and a new Robin de Raaff CD
September the eighth was a festive day for Robin de Raaff. His song cycle Emily Dickinson Songs for mezzo-soprano and piano was premiered during the lunch concert series at Dutch National Opera, with Maria Kowan (soprano) and Brian Fieldhouse performing this 30-minute work. That same day, De Raaff's newest SA-CD, featuring music from the opera Waiting for Miss Monroe was released on the Challenge record label.
Purchase the Waiting for Miss Monroe CD |
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| Asko|Schönberg to play De Raaff in Zagreb Biennale |
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| Once every two years, Zagreb becomes the thriving centre for contemporary composed music. This year, Asko|Schönberg will play a comprehensive programme including Ligeti's Konzert für Klavier und Orchester, works by Abrahamsen and Birtwistle and Ennea's Domein by Robin de Raaff. Reinbert de Leeuw will conduct the concert on 20 April 2015, 7.30 PM - Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall, Zagreb. Croatian premiere |
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| De Raaff composer in residence at the Orlando Festival |
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Robin de Raaff has been appointed composer in residence for the 2015 edition of the Orlando Festival. In addition to performances of four chamber music works, de Raaff will give an introductory talk about his latest work, Carmina Chromatico for ensemble, in a discussion with artistic director Henk Guittart on Saturday 29 August.
On 21 August Aula Minor, Rolduc Abbey 5:00 PM – Contradictie I for flute solo, Ingrid Geerlings;
26 August Aula Minor, Rolduc Abbey 5:00 PM - Emily Dickinson Songs premiere of the version for piano and mezzo-soprano. Maria Kowan (mezzo-soprano) and Brian Fieldhouse (piano);
26 August Ballsaal im Alten Kurhaus, Aachen - Un Visage d'emprunt Osiris Trio & Alan Kay (clarinet);
28 August Maastricht Academy of Music - Carmina Chromatico Gruppo Montebello, conducted by Henk Guittart;
29 August, closing concert, Kerkrade Abbey Rolduc (Aula Major) - Carmina Chromatico, Gruppo Montebello conducted by Henk Guittart |
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| World premieres at the Tanglewood New Music Festival |
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| One of the world's largest and most well known festivals for new music, the Tanglewood Music Center (TMC), will be celebrating its 75th season this year. TMC commissioned thirty-two composers worldwide, among them Robin de Raaff, to write a new Fanfare to commemorate the 75th Anniversary. |
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| De Raaff, Fanfare |
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De Raaff's newest work Fanfare for winds, had its world premiere on 28 June in Tanglewood. A second performance will take place on the 2nd of August at Tanglewood on Parade, on the stage of the beautiful Ozawa Hall. But performances are conducted by Marzena Diakun
Fanfare has been programmed by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra for the opening of the 2015-2016 season on 26 September, and will go on tour with performances at a further five concert halls throughout the Netherlands. |
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| Robin de Raaff composes his second symphony to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Het Gelders Orkest |
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Robin de Raaff has written a new orchestral work to celebrate the founding of Het Gelders Orkest 125 years ago. The world premiere of Symphony no. 2 “Illumination… Eclipse” will take place in the Vereeniging in Nijmegen on 23 April 2015. As composer-in-residence at Het Gelders Orkest De Raaff had carte blanche to compose a substantial symphonic work. The result is the three-movement Symphony no. 2 "Illumination… Eclipse" which examines such concepts as light and darkness in a compositional way. Het Gelders Orkest (also known as the Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra) will perform this work under the direction of chief conductor Antonello Manacorda. Also on the programme are Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1945) and the Sibelius Violin Concerto op. 47 in D minor, with Veronika Eberle as soloist.
De Raaff also hopes to issue a warning with his second symphony, so that the festive anniversary of Het Gelders Orkest will be much more than just a token musical offering in a society where classical music threatens to become a mere footnote. Performances: 23 April 2015 the Vereeniging, Nijmegen. Concert starts at 8.15 PM, introduction at 7.15 PM (World premiere), 24 April 2015 Orpheus in Apeldoorn. Concert starts at 8 PM, introduction at 7.15 PM & 26 April 2015 Musis Sacrum, Arnhem. Concert starts at 2.15 PM, introduction at 1.15 PM. |
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| De Raaff: New String Quartet No. 2 by the Brodsky Quartet |
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Rehearsals with the Brodsky Quartet went smoothly. Robin de Raaff's second string quartet will premiere next Saturday during one of the most exciting festivals of the time, November Music. Also on the program is music of Shostakovich and Gesualdo.
November 8, 2014 - 's-Hertogenbosch North Brabant Museum 15:30 |
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| November Music 2012 will feature Robin de Raaff as Composer in Residence |
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November Music is an international music festival based in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and is renowned for its cutting edge programming of new music. The 2012 edition of November Music will feature Robin de Raaff as Composer in Residence, with a focus on his ensemble works as well as his larger chamber music works.
De Raaff's music will be a thread throughout this five-day festival and will be programmed in the many different locations, such as churches, concert halls and theaters, in the city of 's-Hertogenbosch.
more information on November Music
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| Robin de Raaff to be composer in residence at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz in 2011 |
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Robin de Raaff has been invited by esteemed festival director and conductor Marin Alsop to be composer in residence at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Sata Cruz, California. Ms. Alsop will conduct his orchestral work Entangled Tales on August 13th with the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. Entangled Tales is one movement of a not yet finished larger work called Tanglewood Tales.
In January 2012 this larger complete work, Tanglewood
Tales, will be performed
with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in
Amsterdam's Concertgebouw under the baton of Ms.
Marin Alsop as part of the renowned Matinee series in
the Concertgebouw.
Originally Entangled
Tales was a commission by
the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and it
was premiered by the BSO in 2007 at Tanglewood
conducted by Ludovic Morlot for an audience
of 8.000 people.
Both Robin De Raaff and Marin Alsop are Tanglewood
Alumni. |
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| The Netherlands Opera commissions De Raaff to write an opera about Marilyn Monroe for June 2012 |
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After the success of his first opera RAAFF, The Netherlands Opera commissioned De Raaff to write his second opera about Marilyn Monroe, to be premiered in a coproduction with the Holland Festival. For a few years, just like with his first opera RAAFF, Robin de Raaff had regular brainstorm sessions with Pierre Audi to develop a personal view on the matter from the perspective of a composer. Since a year now, De Raaff has been working on his second opera together with libretto writer Janine Brogt, who also wrote the libretto for his first opera RAAFF. The libretto will be written in English. Lotte de Beer will be the director and the role of Marilyn Monroe will be sung by Laura Aikin. Staging will be created by Clement & Sanou.
Musicians who will participate in this world premiere production are a.o.: Steven Sloane conductor, Singers: Laura Aikin, Maria Kowan, Hendrikje van Kerckhove, Dale Duesing, Tom Randle, Gidon Saks, John Tessier, Alain Coulombe, Daniel Belcher and David Q Lee.
The world premiere will be in the Stadschouwburg of Amsterdam, June 2012, The Netherlands Opera in coproduction with The Holland Festival. International coproductions are still in state of negotiation.
For more information (English and Dutch available) |
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| Composition Commission issued to Robin de Raaff by the Young German Philharmonic Orchestra |
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Developing, daring to be different, and achieving outstanding musical goals with passion! To this end, the orchestra fosters and challenges talented young musicians on their way into the future, offers musical experiences in tune with the times and provides key impulses. For budding professional musicians, the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie is a vital addition to their music academy studies. The students experience high-level orchestral work with some of the most renowned conductors, soloists, and instructors. In addition, various committees and workshops give them non-musical skills essential to their future professional lives. The Junge Deutsche Philharmonie collaborates with professional orchestras, music academies, and experts from a wide variety of fields. Since its founding in 1974 the orchestra has boasted a modern repertoire issuing numerous composition commissions. In 2011 the JDPh is planning to commission Dutchman Robin de Raaff. The point of departure here was an invitation by the Alte Oper Frankfurt as part of a composer portrait dedicated to George Benjamin. Robin de Raaff was Benjamin’s first and, for a long time, only student. The work will feature in the program of the JDPh’s summer tour.
September 2011
Berlin, Frankfurt, Gütersloh, Kiel, Locarno, Meran, Witten
Further Information:
www.jdph.de
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Winner Buma Toonzetters Prize 2009 Violin Concerto selected as best Dutch composition of 2008 |
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On August 30, 2009 Robin de Raaff received the Buma Toonzetters Prize for his Violin Concerto. The international jury praised the work for its "great virtuosity" and named the piece "very expressive and rich in sound".
The Violin Concerto was dedicated to conductor Jaap van Zweden, the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest en violinist Tasmin Little, that premiered the composition.
This premiere took place in the ZaterdagMatinee of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam om December 6th 2008. |
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De Nederlandse Opera commissions De Raaff to write a new opera for June 2012 |
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After the success of his first opera RAAFF, De Nederlandse Opera (DNO) commissioned De Raaff again to write his second opera. The world premiere will be coproduced with the Holland Festival (HF) and is scheduled for June 2012. For a few years Robin de Raaff had regular brainstorm sessions with Pierre Audi (artistic director of both DNO and HF) in order to develop the composition further. This process has proven its success with De Raaff's first opera RAAFF.
The full artistic team and cast, and also the performance dates will be announced at DNO's press presentation of the 2011-2012 season which is scheduled for February 2011. |
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Newly released Opera CD RAAFF Received 4 out of 5 Stars |
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After the success of De Raaff's portrait CD 'Orchestral Works' on record label Etcetera his opera RAAFF has now been issued on CD with the full libretto. It received 4 out of 5 stars in the weekly CD review of 'De Volkskrant', one of the largest Dutch national newspapers.
RAAFF was commissioned by De Nederlandse Opera and the Holland Festival and was premiered in 2004 featuring soloists soprano Danielle de Niese and tenor Marcel Reijans.
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Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra commissions Cello Concerto |
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Robin de Raaff has been commissioned by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra to write a Cello Concerto for the principal Cellist Marien van Staalen, for the 2011/12 season. This world premiere will be programmed together with a performance of De Raaff's personal favorite work, Das Lied von der Erde, and the concert will be conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
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American premiere in upcoming Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music |
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De Raaff’s Quartet Un visage d’emprunt has been selected by composer in residence Augusta Read Thomas who is the Artistic Director of the Festival of Contemporary Music in Tanglewood this summer. His Quartet will be performed on 9 August 2009 in the Ozawa Hall in Tanglewood.
Un visage d’emprunt was originally written for James Campbell, Moshe Hammer, Tsujoshi Tsutsumi & Rian de Waal and past performances include the Glenn Gould Studios in Toronto, International Music Festival Takefu in Japan, CBC Festival in Parrysound in Canada, Kleine Zaal in the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam and a concert-tour throughout the Ukraine.
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ZaterdagMatinee commissions De Raaff to write a new Concerto for the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra |
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The internationally renowned Raschèr Saxophone Quartet will give the World Premiere of De Raaff's new Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra with the Radio Chamber Philharmonic in the upcoming 2010/11 ZaterdagMatinee Series in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
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