a contemporary fairy tale by Annet Schaap for everyone from 6 years old and music of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.
PREMIERE December 29, 2019, TivoliVredenburg Main Hall Utrecht
After five beautiful summer editions the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht returns to the period between Christmas and New Year and will present itself again in music hall TivoliVredenburg Utrecht. Janine Jansen, founder and patron of the festival, programms the festival in which there is of course also room for a family concert. With the whole family one can enjoy the fairytale The Tree and its Ear, specially written by Annet Schaap for the IKFU festival of 2018. Annet Schaap is a well known dutch writer. Inspired by the famous music of Mussorgsky Annet wrote a modern fairytale The Tree and its Ear about a boy who has experienced something huge.
But how do you find a listening ear? The class is doing arithmetic and the teacher demands silence. Mom is at work, at home there is nobody, and the boy is not allowed to talk to strangers. In the park near the school birds are busy building nests and the onrushing dog just wants to play. "Go to the tree with the ear, everyone does", evokes a bird. The tree an ear? It is not difficult to find the highest tree in the park. Its branches seem to reach to the clouds, not even five people can embrace its trunk. At the ear animals are lining up. Beetles, squirrels, mice, centipedes are pushing. Because everyone has a story and ears are rare.
In a playful staging by Annechien Koerselman narrator Dieuwertje Blok and the both fresh and young Ardemus Saxophone Quartet will reveal the different musical stories which are whispered in the ear of the tree. Like the composition of Modest Mussorgsky sometimes sad, but just as often exciting, magically put to image by sandprincess Rosa van der Vijver.
Previously The Tree and its Ear in the stage direction by Annnechien Koerselman was presented at the International Chamber Music Festival 2018, performed by a different cast. The fairy tale The Tree and Its Ear has been published in the mean time by publisher Querido in May 2019.

Photo © Majanka Fotografie
Credits Cast & Crew
Narrator Dieuwertje Blok
Musicians Ardemus Quartet:
Soprano saxophone Lisa Wyss
Alto saxophone Lovro Merčep
Tenor saxophone Jenita Veurink
Baritone saxophone Deborah Witteveen
Composition Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky
Text Annet Schaap
Stage direction, Musical dramaturgy & Costumes Annechien Koerselman
Sandprincess Rosa van der Vijver
Lightdesign Nico Kraeima
Arranger J. van der Linden
Organisation Internationaal Kamermuziekfestival Utrecht
Calender
Utrecht TivoliVredenburg Main Hall December 29, 2019 15.00uur
More information: www.kamermuziekfestival.nl
Find a tree with an ear. Find something that listens.
Illustration © Philip Hopman










































