All the way from the Netherlands, the “Powerhouse of Piano,” acclaimed Dutch pianist and composer Jeroen Van Veen, comes to Langley Community Music School (LCMS) to perform in the Concerts Café Classico concert series on Sunday, Nov. 16, followed by a free workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Renowned for his minimalist style and flawless passion, the “intellectually interesting and emotionally gratifying” performances of Jeroen Van Veen continue to be heralded by critics. the New York Times declared one of his recent projects “the best recording ever.”
Van Veen has toured the globe performing minimal music with crossover flavours of jazz, blues, soundscape, avant-garde, techno, trance and pop.
He has produced more than 100 CDs and has been featured on radio and television in Europe, Asia and America.
Currently touring Canada, Van Veen will return to Langley to treat the Concerts Café Classico audience to the music from his latest CDs, featuring composers such as Philip Glass, Arvo Part, Ludovico Einaudi, Douwe Eisenga, JacobTV, as well as his own original compositions.
The event starts at 2:30 p.m., with a conversation with Van Veen, hosted by LCMS artistic director Elizabeth Bergmann.
Listen to some anecdotal stories, gain some insight into life as a world-traveling performer, and learn the meaning behind the music.
There will be a short break with coffee and refreshments, before the performance, which takes place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jeroen back to Langley,” said Bergmann. “To great acclaim, he performed at our Pulse summer music festival in July, 2011.
“I look forward to chatting with him in the pre-concert talk about his musical insights on the works he will be performing.”
“I strongly believe that minimalism has the potential to bring new audiences into concert halls,” said Van Veen.
“It can restore in listeners a healthy sense of pulse and warmth, and an enjoyment for the richness of sound.”
In addition to the concert, Van Veen invites the public to a free interactive workshop on Tuesday Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. to explore this modern, yet romantic, minimal music style.
To learn more about Jeroen Van Veen, visit his website at www.jeroenvanveen.com.
Tickets for this Concerts Café Classico event are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for students.
Call the box office at 604-534-2848. The Rose Gellert Hall is located at 4899 207 St.
