On Saturday 9 May, we open our doors to everyone who feels like dancing. Children aged 8 and up, young people and adults, beginners or those with a bit more experience: everyone is welcome. Come along with friends, family or students, or step onto the dance floor on your own and meet new people. Between 10:00 and 15:00, you can choose from no fewer than 16 different workshops. Feeling inspired already? Sign up via this link and meet the teachers of the future. Cost: pay what you can We believe it is important that dance is accessible to everyone, which is why we work with a “pay what you can” principle via the QR code upon arrival at Kruisplein. As a guideline, we suggest €5 per workshop. Dance with impact With your contribution, you support our international community placement in year 3. In previous years, students travelled to Tanzania, where they collaborated with Africulture and local schools. The proceeds help make this trip possible and contribute to donating musical instruments and other materials to schools on site. More information Do you have questions or would you like to know more? Visit our Instagram page or email us at dansworkshop@codarts.nl . We look forward to welcoming you on 9 May at Codarts!
The semi-finalists featured six outstanding acts: The Sage Trio with Anne-Roos Broekhuizen, Eñaut Armentia Quartet, Paper Blue with Francisco Rodríguez Lisbona, George Hytiroglou Sextet, AYÊ with Inês Kosters, and Jakob Sedmak Quartet. The prestigious annual competition, organized by Codarts in collaboration with the main sponsor Nedspice, the Friends of Codarts Foundation, and Lantaren Venster, continues to provide a platform for the brightest emerging jazz talents. The jury, comprising Bart Wirtz (saxophonist, composer, and former Erasmus Jazz Prize winner), Mijke Loeven (director of BIMHUIS), and Marieke Meischke (writer, coach, curator, and FPK advisor), had the challenging task of selecting the finalists from an outstanding pool of semi-finalists. Their expertise and thoughtful deliberation highlighted the exceptional quality of the performances. The finalists for the Erasmus Jazz Prize 2025 are: • AYÊ with Inês Kosters • George Hytiroglou Sextet • Paper Blue with Francisco Rodríguez Lisbona Each of these finalists impressed the jury with their originality, creativity, and skill, earning them a spot in the finals. The winners of the Erasmus Jazz Prize 2025 will be determined during the finals event: Finals Information • Date: March 9, 2025 • Time: 14:30h • Location: Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam "As the jury, we were all deeply impressed by the incredibly high level of the musicians competing in the semi-finals. Besides that, I guess it's typical of Codarts Rotterdam—the diversity of styles was immense, which appealed to both the jury and the audience," said jury member Bart Wirtz. The Erasmus Jazz Prize is more than a competition; it is a celebration of innovation, artistry, and community within the jazz scene. It continues to foster the next generation of jazz musicians, offering them a platform to showcase their talent and take significant steps in their musical careers. Codarts congratulates the finalists and thanks all participants for their inspiring performances during the semi-finals. Special appreciation goes to the jury members for their dedication and to our valued partners – Nedspice, the Friends of Codarts Foundation, and Lantaren Venster – for making this event possible. About the Erasmus Jazz Prize The Erasmus Jazz Prize, now in its 29th edition, is a cornerstone of Codarts’ commitment to nurturing young jazz talent. Each year, the competition identifies and supports emerging musicians, providing them with the opportunity to perform, grow, and connect with the broader jazz community. The finalists of this competition often go on to achieve remarkable success in the jazz world.
With deep sadness we have been informed of the passing of our former teacher, alumnus, composer, and conductor Carlo Balemans. Carlo left an enduring mark on the world of music and on Codarts Rotterdam. For almost twenty years, Carlo was a dedicated member of the teaching staff at Codarts, where he taught, among other subjects, Wind and Fanfare Conducting and Orchestral Conducting within the Classical Music Department. He guided generations of students, instilling confidence and helping them grow. Carlo had a remarkable ability to bring people and artistic disciplines together: he bridged classical music with other musical traditions and showed how the performing arts can connect people in meaningful ways. Together with Annemieke Wijers, he developed the crossover project for the introduction week – an initiative that grew into a valued and unifying part of the academic year. Beyond his work at Codarts, Carlo was active as a conductor and composer across a wide spectrum of musical styles. He had a deep love for electronic orchestral music and embraced digital tools as fully fledged instruments. He worked with both amateur and professional ensembles and continually sought collaboration with artists from around the world. We will greatly miss Carlo – his humour, his warmth, his belief in people, and his passion for bringing others together. What remains is the inspiration he leaves with everyone who met him or had the privilege of working with him. Our thoughts are with all who were close to him. We wish them strength in this difficult time.
Today, both are lecturers at Global Musics. Lilian teaches Brazilian vocals at Caribbean and South American Music. Mutlu teaches Anatolian and Kurdish traditions at Maqam and Modal Cultures along the Silk Roads. The way they absorbed music from home is reflected in how they shape their lessons. Music isn't learned through rules but by experiencing it, living it - both are convinced of that. And one thing is indispensable: the story. "If you want a student to feel a deep connection with the music, you always have to tell the story", Mutlu explains. "Who wrote it? And above all: why?" Lilian offers a concrete example: in some Brazilian traditions, a melody sounds cheerful while the lyrics are about loss or death. "So you sing it with a big smile, even though you're actually singing about something sad." Music purely from feeling That very combination - story and context - is at the heart of Global Musics' renewed curriculum. When Lilian and Mutlu joined Codarts fifteen years ago, that was far from obvious. "We mustn't forget that we're in Europe", says Lilian. "Certain standards apply here. Many things have to be measured: notes, rhythm, technique." But the need to make and feel music cannot be measured. "That lives in your heart." Mutlu knows this intimately. His father can barely read or write, yet makes music purely from feeling. "He knows nothing about notation or sheet music, but he plays, sings and tunes the bağlama better than anyone." Making music with people "In Brazil, performance isn't proof of what you've learned", Lilian continues. "You perform because it's your life - who you are. You affirm your identity through it. And that performance invites others to join in." She gives the roda de samba as an example. In this traditional communal singing, there is no stage. People sing and play around a large table and everyone takes part. "Once I stood next to a woman who was screeching terribly out of tune right in my ear. But we were singing together, and that was the most beautiful thing." When that experience has to fit within fixed frameworks, something changes. "Then judgement takes over. And you lose the spontaneity and the joy." Listening, not reading Mutlu recognises the tension that fixed frameworks can create. For him, this took the form in the score. Explaining traditional music through written notation simply didn't work. "A score can't capture the small nuances of this music", he says. "Things like ornaments or glissandos - smooth transitions between notes. You have to hear them, not read them." So he decided to do it differently: listen first, then repeat. Without a score. He remembers the moment he left it out of his lesson for the first time. "No score today", he told his student. "I'll play, give the time signature, you listen and repeat. Nothing more." It worked. They played through an entire piece in one lesson - something that had never happened before. "This is how we need to carry on", the student said. Music under your skin Lilian developed her own approach too. Long before the curriculum changed, she would research the history and context of every style she covered, and make it accessible through text, translation and video. Her goal: to immerse students so deeply in the music that they come to know it from the outside and from within. "You only let it go once you feel it has gone under your skin." What changes when you understand it What existed for years at the margins of World Music, now stands at the centre of Global Musics. And both lecturers are convinced: it is unique. "To let a student learn like this, with this level of depth and information - I haven't seen it anywhere else", says Lilian. "Nor in Anatolia", Mutlu adds. "There, they have the cultural knowledge but don't put it to use." Global Musics makes a fundamental difference to students, he believes. "You can see it on their faces - that moment of: yes! I can actually play this music." Lilian adds: "At a programme like this, you're challenged from every direction. You come face to face with the world - and that's multiple worlds. But if you're willing to learn a great deal - not just the music, but everything behind it - you can grow enormously. You might even surpass us. And that, to me, is the most beautiful thing to witness."
For the first time in many years, the Codarts Symphony Orchestra returns to perform together with the Codarts Dance Company in their annual Martha Graham project. Once every four years, students of the Codarts Symphony Orchestra have the opportunity to collaborate with a dance production and learn from this form of collaboration, something they may also encounter in their future careers when accompanying dance productions or ballets. Please note: only on 20 April will the dance production be performed live with accompaniment by the Codarts Symphony Orchestra. Find more information and tickets on the website of Theater Zuidplein . Dance cast: Programme: Diversion of Angels (premiered on 13 A ugust 1948 ) music: Norman Dello Joio Acts of Light (premi ered on 26 February 1981) music: Carl Nielsen Maple Leaf Rag (premiered on 2 October 1990 ) music: Scott Joplin. T he last completed ballet by Martha Graham Credits:
Codarts has been awarded €125,000 for the research project De Buurtpiste . The funding comes from the open call Co-creation and Cultural Participation by the Nationaal Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA and the Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie. The project explores how circus, as an active and participatory art form, can contribute to social cohesion, inclusion, and reciprocity in Rotterdam South. De Buurtpiste is carried out in close collaboration with cultural and social partners, including Circusstad Festival, Theater Babel, and Pameijer. De Buurtpiste is one of seven projects selected nationwide within this programme, in which universities of applied sciences collaborate with partners on practice-based research addressing pressing societal challenges. Through initiatives like this, Codarts Research contributes to the development of new knowledge as well as tangible and lasting impact in the city of Rotterdam.
In the Grote Zaal, the Codarts Wind Band opens the festival with a collaboration with the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy, conducted by Erik van de Kolk. Students and professional musicians join forces to form one symphonic wind orchestra. After that, the Codarts String Orchestra, led by Gordan Nikolić, performs a program that reveals more and more depth the longer you listen. Later in the evening, you’ll hear the music of the Global Musics Silk Road Ensemble, featuring repertoire rooted along the historic Silk Road. The finale returns to the Grote Zaal: the Codarts Pop Orchestra conducted by Ronald Kool. A set of own works and student arrangements performed with the energy you’d expect from a festival closer. Whether you’re curious to explore new styles or simply in the mood for an evening of great live music, you are warmly welcome. Entrance is free! Get your free tickets The Programme Codarts Wind Band × Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy (conducted by Erik van de Kolk) Repertoire: M. Bodensteiner* – REHAB (world premiere) R. Strauss – Tod und Verklärung (arr. Christian Janssen, for wind orchestra) J. Mackey – Frozen Cathedral plus a work by a selected Composition student (Classical Music) Location: Grote Zaal, De Doelen Time: 16:30–17:30 Codarts String Orchestra (conducted by Gordan Nikolić) Repertoire: Claude Debussy – Danse sacrée et danse profane (with harp) Clara Schumann – Romance No. 2 (Allegretto: Mit zarten Vortrage ) — arranged for string orchestra Dmitri Shostakovich – Chamber Symphony in C minor , op. 110a Location: Foyer 2, De Doelen Time: 17:45–18:45 Codarts Vocal Department – Scenic Production Repertoire: Selections from Fortunio and Croquefer by Offenbach Location: Foyer 1, De Doelen Time: 19:00–20:00 Global Musics Silk Road Ensemble Take a musical journey along the historic Silk Road during this special performance for double quartet. You will hear both new compositions and fresh arrangements of folk and classical music from, among others, Eastern Mediterranean, Balkan, and Anatolian traditions. The string quartet provides a solid, multi‑layered foundation. Above this, various modal instruments play their distinctive melodies, featuring the subtle microtonal inflections and warm timbres typical of these musical styles. Location: Foyer 2, De Doelen Time: 20:30–21:30 Codarts Pop Orchestra (conducted by Ronald Kool) The Codarts Pop Orchestra is a versatile Rotterdam‑based pop ensemble known for its powerful, genre‑crossing productions. It has performed on major stages such as the New Luxor Theatre and the Grand Hall of the Concertgebouw, where it collaborated with the artist sor in the project sor presents sorkest . The orchestra also took part in Red Bull Symphonic at Theatre Amsterdam. Repertoire: 16 original pieces written by Pop students Location: Grote Zaal, De Doelen Time: 22:00–23:15
Across oceans and generations, rhythm and voice have travelled with people, carried in song, memory and the body. As music moves, it transforms: patterns evolve, melodies adapt, and new forms emerge through encounter. This performance traces those journeys, from African rhythmic foundations through the transatlantic slave trade and into the diverse musical cultures that grew from it, including the music that students at Codarts carry in their own hands, ears and traditions. The three ensembles — working across Caribbean, South American and related musical traditions will give distinct yet connected performances, reflecting how sound develops through migration and exchange. What you will hear is not a reconstruction of the past, but a living, contemporary expression: shaped by history and rooted in the present. This performance takes place alongside members of the local Putselaan community, as part of Codarts Global Musics' ongoing commitment to building genuine connections between the conservatoire and the city of Rotterdam. Join us for an evening of powerful live music that brings together movement, community and shared memory. About CaSA — Caribbean and South American Music CaSA is part of Codarts Global Musics, a department dedicated to living musical traditions from Western Asia, Northern Africa, Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean and South America. Students learn primarily through aural transmission, the way much of this music has always been passed on, working alongside musicians and engaging with the communities in which these traditions live.
The concert marks the culmination of an intensive week of creation and rehearsal, developed in the shared space of Culture and Campus Rotterdam, where students worked in close proximity to the Putselaan neighbourhood before bringing the project to Fenix. Across oceans and generations, rhythm and voice have travelled with people, carried in song, memory and the body. As music moves, it expands: patterns evolve, melodies adapt, and new forms emerge through encounter. During this hour-long performance, three ensembles will give distinct yet connected performances, reflecting how sound develops through migration and exchange as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. What you will hear is not a reconstruction of the past, but a living, contemporary expression: shaped by history and rooted in the present. Come to the Plein for an hour of powerful live music that connects movement, community and shared experience. About CaSA — Caribbean and South American Music CaSA is part of Codarts Global Musics, a department dedicated to living musical traditions from Western Asia, Northern Africa, Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean and South America. Students learn primarily through aural transmission, the way much of this music has always been passed on, working alongside musicians and engaging with the communities in which these traditions live.
Registration The session is free and open to anyone interested in the Global Musics BMus or MMus programmes. Registration is required. After registering, you will receive a Microsoft Teams link by email before the event. You can register via this link . Questions? Send an email with your question to: globalmusics@codarts.nl Programme The session lasts approximately two hours and is designed to be open, welcoming and informative. There will be plenty of time for questions. 18:00 – 18:20 | Welcome & Introduction to Global Musics Jan Kuhr, Head of Department, opens the evening with an introduction to the Global Musics department. He will outline the department’s values, its approach to music education and what makes studying here genuinely distinctive. 18:20 – 18:50 | Bachelor of Music (BMus) — Programme Overview A detailed overview of the bachelor programme: how it is structured, the two specialisation pathways, what a typical week looks like and how students develop technical mastery and artistic voice over four years. 18:50 – 19:15 | Master of Music (MMus) — Programme Overview An introduction to the master programme, focusing on its flexible and student-centred curriculum and the possibilities students have to shape their own artistic and research pathway. 19:15 – 19:30 | Meet the Team Short introductions from the educators and student coordinators who will be present during the evening. 19:30 – 20:00 | Live Q&A An open question session for prospective students. The entire team will be present to respond. You are welcome to ask anything about admissions, programme content, audition requirements, life in Rotterdam or studying your specific musical tradition at Codarts. About the Department The Global Musics department at Codarts Rotterdam offers Bachelor and Master programmes built around two interconnected areas of study. Maqam and Modal Cultures along the Silk Roads This pathway includes Ottoman, Anatolian, Mesopotamian and Greek urban modal traditions. Caribbean & South American Music (CaSA) This pathway focuses on musical traditions from Cuba, Brazil, the River Plate region, Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean islands. Within the programme these traditions are not treated as “world music” electives within a Western curriculum. Instead they are approached as complex, technically demanding and living musical traditions, taught within the pedagogical frameworks of their own cultures. Flamenco holds a special position within the programme. Rooted in Andalusia and shaped through centuries of cultural exchange between Romani, North African and Mediterranean traditions, flamenco connects elements of both pathways. Students from all instrumental backgrounds are welcome. What matters most is the commitment to engage deeply, respectfully and creatively with the traditions you study. Bachelor of Music (BMus) The BMus in Global Musics has recently been redesigned, with its first cohort starting in September 2025. From the first year onwards, students receive: • Weekly one-to-one lessons on their principal instrument • Two ensemble classes each week • Training in improvisation, theory, music history and oral transmission Pathway 1 — Maqam & Modal Music Across the Silk Roads This pathway focuses on modal systems and traditional oral learning methods such as meşk , where repertoire is transmitted directly from teacher to student. Core subjects include: • Maqam Theory • Taksim Improvisation • Usul and Tala Rhythm • Maqam Ensemble • Music History and Lineage Concentrations may include: • Ottoman Classical Music • Anatolian & Mesopotamian Musical Traditions • Greek urban modal music • Flamenco Projects and masterclasses may cover: • Persian music • Arabic musical traditions • North Indian classical music • Andalusian musical traditions Pathway 2 — Caribbean & South American Music (CaSA) This pathway explores Cuban, Brazilian and related traditions through a practice-led approach that integrates rhythm, dance, language and cultural context. Core focus areas include: • Cuban musical traditions • Brazilian traditions • Flamenco and its transatlantic dialogues Projects and masterclasses may include: • River Plate music (including tango) • Musical traditions from Suriname • Music from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao Master of Music (MMus) The Master of Music in Global Musics is designed for musicians and composers who wish to deepen their expertise in diverse musical traditions through practice, performance, composition and artistic research. The programme is flexible and student-centred, allowing students to shape a pathway aligned with their artistic and research interests. Two principal areas of focus are available: Music of the Silk Roads Includes: • Maqam Music • Folk and modal traditions along the Silk Routes Caribbean & South American Music (CaSA) Includes: • CaSA Caribbean Music • CaSA Brazilian Music • CaSA Tango Music The Team The people present during the session represent the full breadth of the department. They include educators, practitioners and coordinators who are deeply rooted in the traditions they teach. Jan Kuhr Head of Department, Global Musics Barbaros Bozkır Coordination — Maqam & Modal Music Across the Silk Roads Mutlu Kızılgedik Coordination — Maqam & Modal Music / Student Coordinator Nils Fischer Coordination — Caribbean & South American Music Bárbara Varassi Pega River Plate Tango Specialist, Pianist, Composer and Arranger Marijn van der Linden CaSA Curriculum Design, Ensembles, Guitar and Transcription Teacher Sofia Nakou Student Coordinator — Caribbean & South American Music Burcu Ramazanoğlu Stavropoulos Education Support Officer Live Q&A The final 30 minutes are dedicated entirely to questions from prospective students. Topics often include: • What level of musicianship is expected before applying • Whether you need to speak Dutch to study at Codarts • How the audition process works • Whether you can study more than one tradition or pathway • What a typical week in the programme looks like • Whether the MMus is suitable for musicians already working professionally • How the department supports students from outside Europe • Whether you can progress from the BMus into the MMus at Codarts • Performance and collaboration opportunities during the programme • Availability of specialist teachers for specific instruments
