In November 2022, “Upload” won in the Best Digital Opera category at the International Opera Awards held in Madrid. Begun as part of the Dutch National Opera’s ‘Opera Forward’ festival, the opera’s live premiere had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic, but a film version was put together and made available soon after. It was awarded the Best Digital Opera prize by a jury of international opera professionals, headed by the editor of Britain’s Opera magazine.

The post “Upload” album released appeared first on Disquiet.

Available on all platforms from 28th February 2020, with limited edition high definition vinyl double LP and CD also be available through Disquiet Media.

For the first time Michel focuses entirely on an indie/alt-pop electronic album involving the masterfully talented and versatile Australian singer song-writer Kate Miller-Heidke. Kate Miller-Heidke voice has been described by US singer-songwriter Ben Folds as “one of the best in the world”, she is a long-time collaborator of Michel van der Aa. Although classically trained, Kate followed a career in alternative pop music and is the only person to have sung at Coachella, the New York Metropolitan Opera and Eurovision representing Australia in 2019.

This album is Michel’s debut indie-pop album, but this is not his first foray beyond classical music, having previously collaborated with Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura, and pop act These New Puritans. The album is produced and mixed by Michel and Thijs de Vlieger (of Dutch DnB act Noisia).

Michel’s trademark sound design of analogue synths, guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and dense tonal atmosphere combine with Kate Miller-Heidke’s powerful distinctive voice to create an album beyond genre with touches of experimental electronic, indie, a cappella choir (Netherlands Chamber Choir) and pop influence.

The album theme explores “Infinity”, in regard to ‘time’, and ‘space’; inspired by the writing of Jorge Luis Borges, Fernando Pessoa, Federico García Lorca, Emily Dickinson and scientific discovery

Pre-order the limited edition high definition vinyl double LP and CD through our web store

The post New album: Time Falling appeared first on Disquiet.

“Janine Jansen überzeugt in dieser 2014 im Amsterdamer Concertgebouw mit dem Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra unter Leitung von Vladimir Jurowski aufgezeichneten Live-Aufnahme durch phänomenale Präsenz und plastische Gestaltung des quer durch die Violinregister schießenden Soloparts, der sich recht bald als virtuose Tour de Force entpuppt. Van der Aa hat der Geigerin das Werk förmlich auf den Leib geschrieben und dabei vor allem die theatrale Komponente ihres Vortragsstils betont, die er immer wieder in auffahrenden musikalischen Gesten einfängt und dadurch in ihrer spezifischen physischen Qualität hörbar macht.

(Hysteresis) Die stärksten Momente aber entstehen dort, wo der digitale Widerpart als hochgradig artifizielle Klangspur in das Geschehen eintritt und den Solisten mit veränderten, verzerrten Klängen seiner selbst konfrontiert. Wie sich Kriiku immer wieder an diesen Klangspuren abarbeitet, wie er dabei Brüche erzeugt, die dialogische Situation ins Absurde treibt und Impulse vorgibt, die dann wiederum ins Ensemble übergreifen und von diesem wie durch einen Seismographen aufgegriffen und verstärkt werden, während sich zugleich die Dialogsituation zwischen Solist und Spiegelbild weiterentwickelt, hat ganz große Klasse und verleiht der Musik eine mitunter faszinierende Atemlosigkeit. ” ()
— Klassik.com, Prof. Dr. Stefan Drees

This release is available as CD and mp3/WAV download at our web-store.

Read the full review (PDF)

The post DQM05 review on Klassik.com appeared first on Disquiet.

“[…]a superb performance of the violin concerto he wrote in 2014 for Janine Jansen and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra […] Balancing the soloist and orchestra to perfection, the works eschews hollow virtuosity entirely, and its orchestration is full but transparent. Hysteresis, a clarinet concerto for chamber orchestra and soundtrack, is equally refined” ()
— De Volkskrant, Frits van der Waa

“The Violin Concerto proves to be a fantastic work brimming with moments of beauty and consolation. All you need to do is take in the story that Van der Aa tells. What makes the piece impressive is the carefully constructed fluctuation between the lyrical and the energetic, which in our view includes the brief moments featuring pop beats. You simply have to be prepared for the speed with which the composer switches from one mood to another. Once you’ve got your bearings, a captivating and exhilarating discourse unfolds. Van der Aa tailor-made it for Janine Janssen, who gives a cracking performance.”
— Het Parool, Erik Voermans

This release is available as CD and mp3/WAV download at our web-store.

The post Violin Concerto – Hysteresis reviews appeared first on Disquiet.

Read review (scan, German)

The post ‘Up-close’ review in FonoForum appeared first on Disquiet.

Michel van der Aa, aged 42, wrote Up-close for the Argentinian- French cellist Sol Gabetta and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta. The work was commissioned by the European Concert Hall Organization, with support from the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and the Performing Arts Fund. It received its first performance in Stockholm in 2011 with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta directed by Candida Thompson accompanying Gabetta as soloist. Following its premiere, the same performers toured the work to concert halls throughout Europe, visiting such cities as Luxembourg, Brussels, London, Amsterdam and Hamburg, and receiving high acclaim from both audiences and critics. Disquiet Media released a DVD and movie download of the work in performance in 2011.

The post ‘Up-close’ wins 2013 Grawemeyer Award appeared first on Disquiet.

The post ‘Up-close’ review in Crescendo appeared first on Disquiet.

Purchase a copy (hard copy or download) here.

The post ‘Spaces of Blank’ review in Musica appeared first on Disquiet.

“Sol Gabetta spielt das Werk zusammen mit der Amsterdam Sinfonietta mit atemberaubender Verve und gibt auch den darstellerischen Momenten, in denen sie indirekt Kontakt mit der Protagonistin des Films aufnimmt, eine große Selbstverständlichkeit. Sehens- und hörenswert.”
Read the review (German, scan)

Rondo Magazine gave the DVD a positive 4 star review as well.
Read the review (German)

The post Up-close reviewed by Rondo and NMZ appeared first on Disquiet.

Read the review (scan, German)

The post Opernwelt review appeared first on Disquiet.