Photo Josef Ellerkamp Student orchestra De Ontzetting is working on the final preparations for a special collaboration. On 9 February the orchestra will be sharing the Junushoff stage with poet Ivar van der Walle in an event focusing on war and peace.
It is nearly 80 years since the capitulation of the Germans was signed in Hotel De Wereld, signifying the end of the Second World War for the Netherlands. ‘As a Wageningen orchestra, we wanted to pay attention to 80 years of freedom,’ explains trombonist and the orchestra’s chair Ruben van der Linden. ‘Plus some fantastic pieces of music have been written on the topic of war. The music really tells a story. For example, we play D-day by Alex Poelman and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, on the Russian defeat of Napoleon’s army. But we also have lighter music such as Vera Lynn’s famous song We’ll meet again.’
For this concert, the student orchestra is collaborating with the poet Ivar van der Walle, who came second in last year’s Dutch Poetry Slam. ‘He wrote texts for this production that fit with the music we will be playing. He will take audiences back to the stories of the time.’
De Ontzetting is an orchestra consisting of about 60 students. They put on two big concerts a year. ‘We have been working on this concert since the start of the academic year. Every Thursday evening, we rehearse in Orion. I also practise at home occasionally. Although I use a special mute for my trombone then so I don’t drive my housemates mad.’
SAT 09-02-2025
Theater de Junushoff
14:30-17:00 hrs
Admission 7,50 euro
Tips:
Saturday 25 January – Kabaal am Kwartaal (hardcore punk) at Unitas
Tuesday 28 January – Honk! Improv Comedy show (comedy) in Cultuurwerkplaats
Thursday 30 January – Prins S. en de Geit (electropop) in Theater de Junushoff
