10 May 2011

Richard Rijnvos has been awarded the prestigious Matthijs Vermeulen Prize 2011 for his song cycle Die Kammersängerin. The prize will be presented on 22 June 2011 during a Holland Festival production in the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (Amsterdam). The concert will feature a fully staged performance of the award winning work by Marijje van Stralen (soprano), the Ives Ensemble, Jos van Kan (stage director), and Michiel Voet (set design). Similar to its world premiere on 8 May 2010, the staging will include animated surtitles designed by students of KMT (HKU Utrecht).

The Matthijs Vermeulen Prize is the most important composition award in the Netherlands. Between 1972 and 2004 it was issued annually by the Amsterdam Arts Fund. Since 2009 it is awarded biennially by the Performing Art Fund NL.

It is the second time Richard Rijnvos receives the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize. His orchestral work Times Square Dance was awarded the same prize in the year 2000.

Die Kammersängerin has also been nominated for the BUMA Toonzetters Award 2011.

Click here for audio excerpts from Die Kammersängerin.