Via
3 flutes (flute 3: + piccolo), 3 oboes, 3 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons (bassoon 2: + contrabassoon), 4 french horns, 3 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, bass drum, tam-tam, drum set, whip, tambourine, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, harp, choir SATB (optional), strings. Written in 2021-22, premiered in 2023. Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra and VRK, conducted by Jun Märkl. Commissioned by the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, as a tribute to Hugo, René, baron Vandamme, former president of the VRO/VRK. Unpublished. Duration: 9m 20s.
Built on the full name of the dedicatee, Via is like a journey of initiation, where various encounters/experiences impact the musical content. Perhaps also, more globally, it's the story of an existence, and of the evolution of our relationship to the world, according to our age. The encounters/experiences are embodied by quotes from different musical styles. Rather than using excerpts from the repertoire, I chose to compose beforehand in Via, a series of seven original snippets, each dedicated to a specific language, a distinctive aesthetic. This raw subsidiary material is integrated and reworked according to the context. Main character of Via, the first trumpet reacts to the quotes, and consequently influences the destiny of the score.