The pain in my shoulder has almost disppeared

The pain in my shoulder has almost disppeared! I am studying again and just had rehearsal with Wijnand for the Vondelpark Concert again. We had lots of fun putting this programme together.
Tomorrow will be a busy day, I will have to go to Kerkrade to rehearse for the premier of a saxophone concerto by Alexander Comitas. We will perform it at the WMC. The day after we will play the concert (wednesday 20 July). If you want to check it out: it's in the Rodahal in Kerkrade, during the WMC. I will be accompanied by the NJFO (National Youth Fanfare Orchestra, conducted by Danny Oosterman, www.njbe.nl).
Today I called with active 24, my website will be online sometime tomorrow. I hope so!

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Just had a rehearsal with my good friend Wijnand (piano). We rehearsed a new piece in our repertory: 'Burjazzque' by Louis van Dijk, in a version for soprano saxophone and piano. What a wonderful music! Louis van Dijk is not so well know as a composer but this piece shows he should be. We'll play it in the Vondelpark Open Lucht Theater in Amsterdam on July 21st at 21:00, for those who want to hear it. We will also play music by Michael Nyman, Bach, Demersseman, Wiedoeft, ter Veldhuis and Matitia. The wheather forecast is not too good though, according to the KNMI, but they have proven they can be wrong, I hope that they will be again!

Still lots of pain and eating pain killers, which work ok, but it's still there.
Tomorrow is Sunday and I think I won't be able at the soccer competition in the Amsterdamse Bos, but I will cheer!

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Today I woke up with an incredible pain in my shoulder. I wanted to study sax but now I have to wait for the pain to go away... Well, a forced 'holiday', I can do some reading, listening to music. I am listening to Michel Camilo and Tomatito right now. Great album! What a shame I missed them at the North Sea Jazz Festival.
For some reason my website is offline now, and I have no idea why. The Active24 helpdesk is only available on weekdays so I'll have to wait to find out. Very strange...

Friday, July 15, 2005

Electronic Music

Yesterday I went to Paradiso to see and hear a festival with electronic music, a crossover between dance music and 'art' music. It was quite interesting, but hard to listen to. Intuitively I am not drawn towards electronic music and I have to go through some effort to listen to it but it's a challenge to get to know this music and to learn to appreciate it.

Ties Mellema will record his new solo CD on November 17th and 18th 2005. Works by Ter Veldhuis, Turnage, Lauba and Glass. Release is planned for spring 2006.

NEW: The AMM Electro Acoustic Sessions PODCAST: copy/paste this link into your podgrabber/iTunes (download iTunes here): http://feeds.feedburner.com/AMMelectro

Vrij Nederland, a national opinion magazine, writes about the CD "DUOS for Saxophone and Piano": "a wonderful CD", "Lots of virtuosity and flexibilty". (obtainable throug the webshop, Amstel Records)

Recent Amstel Saxophone Quartet prizes: Second prize at the 34th Gaudeamus Interpreters competition; The adult jury and youth jury first prizes at the 14th International Chamber Music Competition in France, Illzach on 13 March 2003

Read the interview that Selmer the Netherlands had with Ties Mellema in their magazine 2004/2005 here. (check 'press' for this article)

The Amstel Saxophone Quartet released their third CD: 'Baltica' on January 15th in Amsterdam, in the Bethanienklooster for a full house! Visit the ASQ website or click here to order this CD.