A special concert is coming up! On Friday, February 10, the Double Concerto by the Finnish Composer Kalevi Aho will have its Dutch premiere. And our own bassoonist Dorian Cooke will solo with Bram van Sambeek. 

Kalevi Aho (b. 1949) wrote this Double Concerto for two bassoons and orchestra in 2016, commissioned by Bram van Sambeek. Dorian looks forward to it: "The world premiere was in 2019 in Warsaw by Bram van Sambeek and Leszek Wachnik with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. On February 10, 2023, the Dutch premiere will finally be in Amare! The idea of programming this concert had existed for some time, and the wait has been rewarded, because now we can perform it in our new hall!" 

Fireworks
"This piece is literally a 'bassoon concerto squared'! The two bassoons are very much alike, both parts are more or less equal and demand extremes, both technically and in terms of expression. We will go wild in dialogues, sometimes complementing each other, sometimes playing unison, and it is also full of powerful parallels.Moments of bassoon fireworks alternate with serene and harmonious passages. After all, you can do that on a bassoon, too. Besides frenzy and volume, there is lightness and elegance in the piece, and the orchestra will also be able to make itself heard." 

Soloing
Although Dorian has been in front of the orchestra before, it always remains very special to her to be able to solo with "her" own orchestra. "I love my orchestra and feel embraced by my colleagues. That is of course a very nice starting point.But.... even more fun than playing solo is soloing in pairs, and especially if it's together with Bram van Sambeek! Bram and I have known each other for a long time, but we haven't been on stage together before, so it was about time!" 

Discovery
A new, unfamiliar work naturally means studying hard. How is Dorian preparing for the Dutch premiere? "This piece has shown me every corner of my study. It is a delightful piece that I have been working on for some time. Technically it demands a lot and that means a long run of preparations in which patience and a good mindset cannot be lacking. Besides getting the hang of the piece, you also try to shape the musical story and make it your own. This is an inspiring journey of discovery. The longer I work on it, the more this piece becomes embedded in my every fiber and the more I look forward to performing it together with Bram. Buckle up...!"