In recent weeks, the Residentie Orkest has been involved in a number of projects into the city around folk music, together with various community and cultural partners.

The basis for the activities were two works by Béla Bartók played by the Residentie Orkest on May 23 and 25. Bartók's Hungarian Sketches and his Viola Concerto are examples of works that incorporate Eastern European folk music. Much folk music has been handed down orally from generation to generation and strengthens identity, but it can also serve as an outlet to express feelings.

On Saturday afternoon, May 10, the Residentie Orkest together with PEP The Hague, Cultuurschakel and Open Amare organized a large citywide volunteer market combined with an amateur arts festival. This collaboration is a follow-up to two successful previous editions, begun in 2024 around the bicentennial anniversary of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony "Alle Menschen werden Brüder. 

The aim of the joint Volunteer Market & Amateur Arts Festival 'Together for a more beautiful The Hague' is to stimulate volunteer work and participation in amateur music and dance societies in The Hague. This is because things are not going well with the cement of society: volunteer, amateur sports and cultural organizations and associations are facing membership decline, aging and budget cuts. 

Musicians from the Residentie Orkest played together with musicians and dancers from Volksdansvereniging Nitsanim and could also be heard in a public rehearsal visit. Some three hundred performers from various cultural providers in The Hague showed - in front of two thousand visitors - at various locations in Amare that the musical life in our city has much to offer.

Thank you to Streetband Ff Anderz, Volksdansvereniging Nitsanim, Hofstads Jeugdorkest, Haags Hongaars Koor, die Heckeländer Musikanten, Popkoor Pepperoni, Haags Matrozenkoor, Mama Verhalenkoor, Strijdkoor Jan en Alleman, Luscinia International Woman Choir, Canzone Choir, Music Matters Choir for the beautiful performances and with a large part also (own interpretations) of folk music. With this afternoon we want to make visible that singing together, making music together and being a member of an association or choir or orchestra or brass band or dance association etc. creates more connection and fun. Music and culture should be and remain accessible to everyone. Together for a more beautiful The Hague!

Last Saturday evening, May 24, there was another closing folk music evening at Nitsanim's Dance House in Escamp. During an Instuif and Bal, musicians from the Residentie Orkest accompanied various folk dances together with Nitsanim's folklore musicians.