Cello Octet Amsterdam

Cello Octet Amsterdam has been a regular guest since the first Cello Biennale in 2006. Cello Octet Amsterdam is an adventurous collective of cellists that represents new music and interdisciplinary performances. The Octet has become a household name in the contemporary music world, partly through collaborations with composers such as Philip Glass, Sofia Gubaidulina, Arvo Pärt, Theo Loevendie, Mauricio Kagel, Michael Gordon, and Kate Moore. After the premiere of his first piece for the Octet, Arvo Pärt said: “The Octet is worth its weight in gold, I discovered this ensemble 10 years too late.”
The cellists have revealed themselves as a close-knit, world-class chamber music ensemble, as well as pioneering musicians in performances such as Cello Warriors, or as a rock band in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Cello Band.
Based on the conviction that musicians are at the heart of society and have a responsibility to contribute to social discussions, the Octet regularly enters into special collaborations with composers, theater makers, choreographers, and social organizations. For example, the performances Instant Happiness and Instant Love (co-produced with Via Berlin) dealt with current topics such as consumer society and human trafficking, while the Octet recently focused on themes such as diversity and migration. Together with the Cello Biennale, the Cello Octet developed the education project de Bestorming (the Assault).

Alistair Sung, Claire Bleumer, Esther Torrenga, Genevieve Verhage, Rares Mihailescu, René van Munster, Sanne Bijker en Sanne van der Horst - cello

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