Last weekends were traditionally dedicated to the New Year's concerts. Since some concerts this year took place far after New Year, they have been renamed Winter and Crocus Concerts. The cooperation between the cultural anchors of The Hague and the Residentie Orkest formed the basis of the program again this year.

We kicked off the concert series on Feb. 1 with the Winter Concert at Theater de Vaillant. The full house enjoyed students from the Residents Academy, Vox Rosa, the oldest gay men's choir in the Netherlands and a string quartet from the Residentie Orkest. Each played a block themselves and to close the hall was turned upside down with the joint performance of Don't Stop Me Now, including choreography by the men's choir!

The following day we were in the sold-out theater of the Hofstad Lyceum. The Residents City Orchestra showed how much fun they have playing together. Then the teachers played beautiful pieces with a Spanish touch (to get us out of the winter slump?). A band and two dance groups from Musica Corda then filled the stage with pop music. For the Last piece, the City Orchestra rejoined and Life is a Highway was performed.

Sunday February 9, the Krokus Concert took place in Podium Noord, where students of KC Diamant played a beautiful program accompanied by their own Residents teachers. Very clever to rehearse new repertoire so soon after all the Christmas songs! The string quartet of the Residentie Orkest played so beautifully that the students listened full of admiration and the hall was quiet as a mouse. The Hague band Judy closed the afternoon with their own work and covers. Of course, the grand finale was another collaboration and everyone played Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder.

On Sunday Feb. 23, was the Last Krokus Concert at Theater Dakota. The Residents students from Rosa Elementary School played music from a Turkish TV series and the music from Top Gun, among others, and the wind quintet from the Residentie Orkest then played music from Mother the Goose by Ravel and the exciting theme from Mission Impossible. Finally, 11-year-old Dovydas, a singer from the neighborhood, sang the stars from heaven and all the artists closed together with L.O.V.E. by Nat King Cole.

Enjoy some more photos from Podium Noord (by Hans Poel) and Theater de Vaillant (by Eveline van Egdom).