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Wytske Holtrop

February 5, 2020
in Artists
by Andrew Read

In 2018, Wytske Holtrop graduated cum laude for her master’s degree at the Haute École de Musique de Genève (Geneva University of Music), where she studied with professor François Guye. She obtained a highly distinguished bachelor’s degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of Brussels (Royal Conservatoire of Brussels) with professor Jeroen Reuling. As of the 2019 – 2020 concert season, Wytske will be playing with the Konzerthausorchester in Berlin, as a member of the Kurt Sanderling orchestra academy. She actively took part in numerous masterclasses with, among others, Natalia Gutman, Gary Hoffman and Nicolas Altstaedt.

Wytske performed as a soloist with several Dutch orchestras and regularly plays solo recitals. She appeared internationally in festivals as the Internationaal Kamermuziekfestival Schiermonnikoog (The Netherlands) and the Ars SummerFest in Vilnius (Lithuania). In 2015 – 2016, Wytske was selected for the orchestra academy of the National Orchestra of Belgium. She won several prizes contesting in the Stichting Jong Muziektalent Nederland (a foundation that stimulates talented young musicians in The Netherlands) and the Prinses Christina Concours. In addition, she won the Prix du Musée Bonnat during the Académie Ravel in Saint Jean de Luz (France). In 2018, Wytske was awarded the Frisian Emmy ‘Runner-up Award’, named after and from the hands of the renowned Dutch violinist Emmy Verhey. Wytske plays a cello by Tanguy Fraval, Brussels (2011) and uses a bow by Doriane Bodart, Paris (2016).

Jan Van der Roost releases “I Colori Della Gioia”

August 16, 2018
in New Releases, News
by Jos Boerland

Aliud Records is pleased to announce the release of *I Colori della Gioia*, a new album by Belgian composer Jan Van der Roost. This collection highlights Van der Roost’s deep appreciation for vocal music, showcasing his ability to blend Romantic styles with innovative textures and forms. Known primarily for his instrumental compositions, Van der Roost demonstrates his versatility in this album, which features a variety of works for voices and ensembles.

About the Album

The album includes six first recordings, making it a significant addition to Van der Roost’s discography. The first three works feature the Flemish Radio Choir, accompanied by orchestra, organ, and piano respectively. These performances capture the richness and depth of Van der Roost’s choral writing while highlighting the ensemble’s exceptional artistry.

Soprano Anneke Luyten takes center stage in the final three works, accompanied by chamber orchestra or unique chamber music combinations. Her performances bring warmth and clarity to Van der Roost’s lyrical compositions. Encapsulated within these pieces is *Il Bucaneve*, a short a cappella work for children’s choir that tells the symbolic story of a snowdrop piercing through the snow to greet the early spring sun—a metaphor for artistic creation and growth.

The title track, “I Colori della Gioia” (The Colors of Joy), features text by Luca Artioli, who also contributed the cover photograph. The imagery of tulips emerging from snow mirrors the themes of renewal and creativity found throughout the album.

 

Featured Performers

The album brings together an impressive roster of performers:
– Flemish Radio Choir
– Brussels Philharmonic
– Boys Choir of Opera Ballet Flanders
– Casco Philharmonic
– Anneke Luyten

These ensembles and soloists deliver nuanced interpretations that bring Van der Roost’s compositions to life, creating an engaging listening experience.

About Jan Van der Roost

Born in Duffel, Belgium in 1956, Jan Van der Roost is a prolific composer whose works span instrumental and vocal genres. He studied at prestigious institutions such as the Lemmens Institute in Leuven and the Royal Conservatoires of Ghent and Antwerp, earning qualifications in composition, conducting, trombone performance, and music history. His career has taken him across more than 50 countries on four continents as an adjudicator, lecturer, guest conductor, and professor at institutions including Senzoku Gakuen (Japan) and Nagoya University of Arts.

Van der Roost’s compositions are performed worldwide by leading orchestras and ensembles. While he is particularly celebrated for his contributions to wind band repertoire, *I Colori della Gioia* highlights his passion for vocal music—a genre he has loved throughout his career.

 

Availability

“I Colori della Gioia” is now available here on our website as well as digital platforms like Native DSD and all digital Streaming Platforms. For those seeking physical media, the album is also offered on SACD format.

Listeners can explore this vibrant collection to experience Jan Van der Roost’s unique approach to vocal composition alongside performances by some of Belgium’s finest musicians.

A Tribute to Adolphe Sax

December 14, 2017
in News
by Jos Boerland

At Aliud Records, we’re thrilled to present our latest double album release, a tribute to the enduring legacy of Adolphe Sax and his most famous invention, the saxophone. This project was born in the wake of the 2014 International Adolphe Sax Competition, held in Dinant, Belgium, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Sax’s birth.

As we delved into the rich history of this remarkable instrument, we were struck by the tumultuous life of its inventor. Adolphe Sax, born in Dinant in 1814, led a life marked by both incredible achievements and significant setbacks. His journey from a small Belgian town to the musical circles of Paris is a testament to his innovative spirit and perseverance.

In curating this album, we sought to showcase the saxophone’s versatility and its integration into various musical genres. We’ve focused primarily on the soprano and alto saxophones, with the tenor saxophone also making notable appearances. While Sax’s other inventions, such as the saxhorn family, are acknowledged, we’ve chosen to center this collection on the instrument that bears his name.

We’re proud to feature performances by an impressive roster of artists, including Rob Horsting, Ronald Moelker, The Circling Saxes, Simon Diriq, Peter Pieters, Niels Bijl, and Nikita Zimin. The album also includes compositions by renowned composers Alain Crepin and Jan van der Roost, who have created works that beautifully exploit the saxophone’s unique tonal qualities.

To demonstrate the saxophone’s adaptability, we’ve included performances by diverse ensembles such as the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Saxophone Orchestra, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra, and the Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Air Force. These varied groupings illustrate how the saxophone has found its place in classical, jazz, and military band settings.

As we listen to these recordings, we’re reminded of the saxophone’s journey from its invention in 1846 to its current status as a cornerstone of multiple musical genres. Despite initial challenges in gaining acceptance within classical circles, the saxophone has become an integral part of the international music scene.

We’ve made this double album available in various high-resolution formats, including DSD and PCM, to ensure that listeners can experience the full tonal range and nuance of these saxophone performances in the highest audio quality possible.

Through this release, we at Aliud Records hope to pay homage to Adolphe Sax’s innovative spirit and celebrate the enduring impact of his most famous creation. We invite you to join us in exploring the rich, varied world of the saxophone through this carefully curated collection of performances.

 

Tobias Messerschmidt

December 13, 2017
in Artists
by Jos Boerland

Tobias Messerschmidt (1995) started his musical life with playing drums in the age of 10. At the age of 17 he was studying with Günther Peppel, a well known  Percussion Player, who was a good Friend of Prof. Dr.  Peter  Sadlo. At this period of studying Tobias Messerschmidt, joined a Extreme Metal band „Chamber of Malice“, where he was touring and studio drummer. With the Band he played shows in Europe for the next 3 years and recorded 2 CDs.

Since 2015 Tobias Messerschmidt is AGNER DRUMSTICKS Endorser. After Finishing studying with Günther Peppel, Tobias Messerschmidt  moved to study Classical Percussion in Wiesbaden. Tobias Messerschmidt started to create in this time of studying his own    marimba sound and playing style. Marimba Concertos in Europe, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany etc.  brought Tobias Messerschmidt to ALEX JACOBOWITZ, one of the best Marimba players of our time, where he get influences to Barrock and Jiddisch music. In 2016 Tobias Messerschmidt played in Wiesbaden at the „deutsche  Medienpreisverleihung“.

 In 2017 Tobias Messerschmidt, performed for VANCORE at the  „Musikmesse Frankfurt“ and became a VANCORE Marimba Artist. Recorded his first Marimba solo CD with ALIUD RECORDS and his VANCORE Marimba.

Also in 2017 he get the 4th Place at the Love2Arts International Competition and visited LUDWIG ALBERT at the Masterclass in Saas- Fee. Tobias Messerschmidt played at the Hildesheimer „Pflasterzauber“    outdoor street concerts, to perform in two days to 30.000 people.

Vincent van Laar

December 13, 2017
in Artists, Featured Artists
by Jos Boerland

Vincent van Laar performs frequently in the Netherlands and abroad as an organist, harpsichordist and continuo player. Besides his greatest passion, the music of J.S. Bach, he has a predilection for the music of J.P. Sweelinck and the North German repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. As a continuo player and soloist he is a member of Concerto d’Amsterdam and The Northern Consort; as a guest he plays frequently with Musica Amphion.

Vincent van Laar‘s teachers included Nico van den Hooven, Harald Vogel, Glen Wilson and Bob van Asperen. He graduated in organ at the Utrecht Conservatory in 1984, and in harpsichord at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in 1988. He won organ competitions in Zeerijp (1981), Toulouse (1983) and Alkmaar (1991). Besides many radio broadcasts, Vincent van Laar‘s CD recordings include: – the complete organ works of Melchior Schildt on the Schnitger organ in Norden; – the 24 Capricetten by Jacob Wilhelm Lustig on the harpsichord and the Hinsz organ in Appingedam; – cantatas by J.S. Bach with obbligato organ, with the countertenor Maarten Engeltjes and Concerto d’Amsterdam; – the complete organ works of Johann Adam Reincken and Nicolaus Bruhns on the organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen. Vincent van Laar also recorded organ works by Sweelinck, which was awarded an Edison.

Yannick Van de Velde

December 13, 2017
in Artists
by Jos Boerland

Passionate, sensitive, intelligent and talented: these are some words used to describe the pianist Yannick Van de Velde. He is one of the leading musicians of Belgium. Yannick Van de Velde participated in numerous national and international competitions and has won more than 20 first prizes. Some notable examples include: first prize at the Dexia Competition, first prize at “Prix de la Fondation Chopin” and “Artiste de l‘année 2014”. In 2016 he won first prize in the Virtuoso & Belcanto Competition in Italy under the presidency of Boris Berman. He was a semi-finalist of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2013 and was awarded the additional prize Walckiers-Carbonnelle. He also won the award Nany Phillepart. In 2014 he won the “Prix d‘Argent”, the “Prix du Public” and the prize for best performance of the compulsary piece at the “Concours International Piano Campus” in Paris. In 2015 he was a finalist of the prestigious Busoni Competition in Bolzano (Italy), which fully launched his career.

Yannick Van de Velde has performed worldwide, both as a soloist as well as a chamber musician: at the Filharmonie in Berlin, the Acropolis Museum in Athens, the Daguan Theatre in Shanghai, and the Lincoln Center in New York, among others. He is also a member of the Nimrod Ensemble Berlin with members of the Berlin Philharmonic. Yannick Van de Velde studied with Klaus Hellwig, Elisso Virsaladze, Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden and Jan Michiels.