With “Cities Change the Songs of Birds,” composer Jacob Ter Veldhuis presents a cinematically edited musical theater piece about the fringes of American society. Original soundbites from the world of the homeless, drug addicts, pimps, prostitutes, and inmates.
Jacob ter Veldhuis is one of the Netherlands’ most successful contemporary composers and is often called the Andy Warhol of music. His “heavenly music” is moving while the raw, earthly reality seeps through. You often hear snippets of spoken word in his work; always the voices of Americans. Invariably America, the country that fascinates him so much. Audio samples are combined with video fragments from absurd commercials or of addicted women from the Jerry Springer Show. A mix of pop, rock, jazz, and classical music, featuring inmates, prostitutes, drug addicts, and beauty. A captivating multimedia spectacle about surviving on the edge of society, featuring rising star harpist Lavinia Meijer, among others.
Cross-musical line-up:
Saxophones: Mete Erker, Bart Wirtz, Miguel Boelens, Nils van Haften
Drums: Arend Niks
Bass: Mick Paauwe
Harp: Rising star Lavinia Meijer.
Videos, light show / live visuals: Jan Willem Looze, Jan Boiten.