When did you start composing – and what or who were your early passions and influences?

I started writing, playing and recording my own tunes when I was around 15 years old (1980). I listened to many popbands from the early 80ties and they inspired me to write my own tunes because this music didn’t sound so difficult (The Cure, Talking Heads etc.). I played organ, synthesizers, piano, guitars and drums so I recorded and played my own music using multi tracking ( I still have my Tascam Porta One).

What do you personally consider to be incisive moments in your work and/or career?

 I actually haven’t had any incisive moments. I have hade a very regular career starting with popmusic, then jazzmusic and electronic music (synthesizers). In 2010  I started performing as a live looper and after that I started writing minimal music for 2 pianos. In all these styles of music I want to sound like me and in the piano compositions that I write now is quite some pop, electronic and jazz from my early works.

“The Essence” is your last album, can you tell us something about?

In the music from the album “’The Essence” I want to go back to the core and essence of music. I want to leave out all the unnecessary notes and concentrate on sound and space. In most music we hear too much of everything and loose the feel for music. Music is emotion and to create emotion you have to look for the right sound and rhythm. I can feel emotion just playing one note in a certain rhythm.

 

What do improvisation and composition mean to you and what, to you, are their respective merits?

Composing starts with improvisation and sometimes with rhythm patterns that I use for my drum lessons. If you can’t improvise you can’t compose. Improvising is nice but dissapears in the air while with composing you record it and make the improvisation definite.

 

The role of the composer has always been subject to change. What’s your view on the (e.g. political/social/creative) tasks of composers today and how do you try to meet these goals in your work?

A modern composer must have affinity with current society but does not necessarily have to have a political message. The task of a composer must be an artistic one; creating music that inspires people and enrich their lives. At the same time they must be able to write music for commercial, movies, games etc. I have written some music for documentaries and some of my music (cd’s) is used on t.v. but for the rest I write music with only an artistic purpose. With this I mean I write music without knowing if other people will like it as long as I like it.

 

 What equipment do you use to compose your music?

I use a digital piano and an 8 track recorder. I use Musescore to finish the scores on the computer.

 

How, do you feel, could contemporary compositions reach the attention of a wider audience?

To reach a wider audience for contemporary music it should be available everywhere so people get to know it. You can’t dislike or like something you have never heard. Maybe not concentrate on the average classical music fans ( old people) but the younger music lovers who are into new music and still have an open ear. The media and concert organizers (especially in The Netherlands) concentrate to much on mainstream music so they make the audience ignorant for new music and that is not a good thing.