By Thea Derks

Beginner course in modern music

Education level
beginner
Features
workshop
Get to know modern music

The Residentie Orkest The Hague has a long-standing tradition of performing modern compositions. Several world premieres are on the program again this season. But what exactly is modern music? What can you discover in these new pieces of music? Music publicist Thea Derks introduces you to modern classical music in this series of lectures. Afterwards, you can listen to the music discussed directly at Concert Hall .  


About the course

The course consists of three lectures of approximately one hour duration. The lectures are held at Amare, prior to a concert of the Residentie Orkest. The lecture will focus specifically on the music played at the concert. We can offer you 1st grade concert tickets at a 20% discount.    

All information

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About Thea Derks

Thea Derks (1953) studied English in Groningen and musicology in Amsterdam, a study she completed cum laude in 1996. Since then she has been an independent music critic and concert conductor, specializing in the music of after 1900 and with special attention to female composers. She has given courses on modern music at the Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam and TivoliVredenburg Utrecht, among others.  

In 2014, her biography of pianist, conductor and composer Reinbert de Leeuw was published. Following his death in 2020, a third edition followed with two additional chapters, which also appeared separately as Final Chord: Reinbert de Leeuw 2014-2020.  

In 2018 she published An ox on the roof: modern music after 1900 in a nutshell, an accessible introduction for the interested layperson. She also produces the radio program of the same name for the Concertzender and manages two blogs: Klassiek van nu (Dutch-language) and Contemporary Classical (English-language).