Yesterday Wijnand and I had a masterclass with clarnettist Charles Nei...

Yesterday Wijnand and I had a masterclass with clarnettist Charles Neidich. We played the Mendelssohn Cello Sonata (for baritone saxophone and piano). We were afraid he wouldn't appreciate it but he did very much so. He even played the piece on bass clarinet before. He like our interpretation of the piece and had some good tips for us. I am very enthusiastic about this piece I must say. It is a world in itself, I keep working on it even when I am not playing it.
Very good music, it adds an extra dimension to the collaboration with Wijnand. This is a new step in our development. Sounds pretentious maybe, but that's how I feel it!

Grab it!', Mellema's new solo CD was presented during the Grachtenfestival 2006 in the spectacular panoramic IJtoren in Amsterdam. You can order it here.

During the opening of the 2006 Grachtenfestival edition, Mellema was a soloist in Philip Glass' Melodies with the New Cool Collective, Holland hippest big band in the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ.

Ties Mellema's gives an inside look at his personal musical preference (Dutch only) in the Parool. See 'press' for the article.