The One Minute Symphony has become an integral part of the concerts presented by the Residentie Orkest. For composition students at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague , it offers a unique opportunity to write for a symphony orchestra and bring their own sonic world to life. For Amsterdam-born Amarante Nat (1995), it all began in 2021 with a One Minute Symphony inspired by a painting by Kandinsky. More commissions followed, including the theme for the 120th anniversary of the Residentie Orkest in 2024. On November 6, 2026, the world premiere of *Through Absence* will take place.

“It’s really nice to be able to grow in a particular field,” Amarante says. “Writing for orchestra is a distinct branch of composition in its own right, with its own specific rules and craftsmanship. Being able to make progress step by step has given me the opportunity to organically get to know the world of the orchestra and to find answers to the question of how I can shape my individuality and my musical ideas within it.”

Composing as an architect
“The art is to stay true to yourself throughout the process while at the same time learning to harness the richness and skill of the orchestra. When you work one-on-one with a musician or with a small ensemble, there’s more room for discussion during rehearsal; certain musical choices can still be made on a small scale—there’s a bit more ‘flexibility.’ With an orchestra, it’s different—the entire structure must be carefully and precisely put together; by that I mean the musical concept and its orchestration. I feel, as it were, a responsibility akin to that of an architect—and that responsibility challenges me artistically to push my thinking further. Of course, no process is complete without the search for solutions, yet writing for orchestra sharpens my focus even more."

The Quest for a Unique Sonic World
“Ultimately, it has given me, above all, a deep love and passion for the orchestra as a musical entity; and the belief that there is still much more to discover in composing for orchestra than we realize. I don’t believe everything has already been written. I’m hooked on my quest for a sonic world that can only be created with the resources of an orchestra: music in which all the musicians come together in a single coordinated movement and, while playing, listen to one another in such a way that something emerges. The more I compose, the more strongly I feel that I’m onto something. My approach isn’t avant-garde, minimalist, or romantic—I’m not exactly sure what it is. My music is full of counterpoint, harmony, and melody, yet it isn’t traditional. It invites listening, depth, and reflection. For me, there’s still much to discover there.”

Through Absence
For Amarante, a new work often begins with the title. She intuitively lets the words sink in—not only in terms of their meaning but also in terms of their feeling—and translates that into a composition. This was also the case with *Through Absence*. She initially set out to explore the origins of these words. With “through,” she went back to the precursor of the Indo-European language. In that proto-form, the word consisted of two elements meaning “to cross” and “to see.” “Absence” is of Latin origin and consists of the concepts “absent” and “to be.” She found a beautiful contrast there: “through” is a movement that passes through something, while “absence” is a motionless state of non-being. In *Through Absence*, Amarante Nat seeks to transcend that contrast, as an intersection where beauty can be found. “A moment when that which is incomprehensible reveals its true face, only to disappear again before we can truly fathom it,” as she puts it herself.

The photo is by Rob Pluijm Art.