Cello Octet CB 24©Foppe Schut
Cello Octet CB 24©Foppe Schut

East of the Sun

Saskia Rao-de Haas, Shubhendra Rao, Yan Jiemin, Zhao Yuachun + Cello Octet Amsterdam
Fri 6 Nov 2026 14:00 - 15:00
Fri 6 Nov 2026
14:00 - 15:00
  • Fri 6 Nov 2026
    14:00 - 15:00
    Grote Zaal
    From Tue 31 Mar 2026 12:00

Program

Saskia Rao-de Haas Song of Water for sitar, Indian cello and octet
Kayhan Kalhor New work (world premiere)
Joël Bons New work (world premiere)

 

Credits

Cello Octet Amsterdam
Saskia Rao-de Haas Indian cello
Shubhendra Rao sitar
Yan Jiemin erhu
Zhao Yuanchun erhu 

Three world premieres around the Cello Octet

With the Cello Octet as the common theme, different influences from all over the world come together. The Dutch-Indian Saskia Rao-de Haas arranged her orchestral work Song of Water for sitar, cello octet, and Indian cello: a smaller sized cello which is played seated on the floor. Kayhan Kalhor is one of today’s most influential contemporary composers and performers within Iranian classical music. In his music, he makes connections between Persian traditions, Kurdish folk music, and Western classical elements. 

In 2016, Joël Bons made a huge impression with his work Nomads for cello and the Atlas Ensemble. He was awarded the ‘Nobel Prize’ of music for it, the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. The successor of the piece is his lauded Atlas Orchestra Book, which he composed for 2025’s Holland Festival. In it, a prominent role was given to two Chinese erhu players, the soloists in this new work for Cello Octet Amsterdam.

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