Renske Vrolijk
In 2022, Renske Vrolijk (1965) drew widespread attention with her semi-autobiographical music theatre production #uncut, performed by the Netherlands Chamber Choir. The production was met with critical acclaim and received a five-star review from de Volkskrant. The success of #uncut led to a new commission from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra: the family production De Neus. This was written for an actress accompanied by seven instruments to a libretto by Sanne Schuhmacher; the work premiered on 3 November at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
The importance of storytelling
Renske Vrolijk has developed into a composer with a clear and distinctive artistic vision. She studied composition at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam with Daan Manneke and Geert van Keulen. Her work is characterised by a strong focus on storytelling, often carrying a social and historical dimension, with vocal music forming the foundation of her musical thinking. For Vrolijk, music is a means of conveying story and emotion, always in connection with the listener.
Vrolijk’s oeuvre
Vrolijk’s versatile oeuvre includes numerous ensemble works, such as gROND (2003) for Combustion Chamber under the direction of Rutger van Leyden, Squawk Box (2007), Sidewalk Bend (2009), Lachrymae (2010) for the Amstel Quartet, and the recent Drift (2023) for the soniq.artquartett.
She also composed a series of works with a strong theatrical dimension, including her graduation project De Reis (1994) about the travelling monk Brandaan; Charlie Charlie (2007), with – among others – Calefax, about journeys aboard the airship Hindenburg; Ghost Wall (2009) for Brisk, exploring voices trapped within the walls of old buildings; Whirly Girls (2010) for Electra, about female aviation pioneers Amelia Earhart and Hanna Reitsch; and After Dinner Toast (2011) for Silbersee, centred on the invention of the phonograph.
In 2018, Vrolijk’s song True Love became part of the production Fantastic Women, initiated by soprano Bauwien van der Meer and directed by Jorinde Keesmaat. The inspiration for True Love was the election of Donald Trump, representing the archetype of the man who views women as objects of desire, set against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement. This theme continued to resonate with Vrolijk, leading her to compose a forty-minute song cycle around it (True Love Song Cycle).
The carillon
The carillon occupies a special place in Vrolijk’s work. Her composition Square Prayer (2006) was warmly received at its premiere in Gdańsk, where the combination of carillon sounds and soundtrack nearly caused passing cyclists to lose their balance. In Music Box (2008), she explored the relationship between old and new media, while her carillon piece America – commissioned by the University of Chicago – premiered in Chicago in 2018 during the Rockefeller Carillon New Music Festival. Since 2024, her works have been published by Deuss Music.