CODA

Text and performance

Cello Octet Amsterdam has been a regular guest at the Cello Biënnale since the first edition in 2006. The Cello Octet is an adventurous collective of cellists that specialises in new music and interdisciplinary performances. The Octet has become a renowned name in today’s contemporary music scene, in part thanks to collaborations with composers such as Philip Glass, Sofia Gubaidulina, Arvo Pärt, Theo Loevendie, Mauricio Kagel, Michael Gordon, and Kate Moore. After the premier of his first piece for the Octet, Arvo Pärt said: “The Octet is worth a fortune, I have discovered this ensemble 10 years too late.” The cellists of Cello Octet Amsterdam manifest not only as a close, world-class chamber music ensemble, but also as groundbreaking performers in shows such as Cellokrijgers (“Celo Warriors”), or as a rock band in Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Cello Band. Driven by the conviction that musicians are at the centre of society and carry the responsibility to contribute to social discussions, the Octet regularly enters unique collaborations with composers, theatre makers, choreographers, and social organisations. Their shows Instant Happiness and Instant Love (co-production with Via Berlin) focused on current topics such as consumerism in society and human trafficking, and the Octet has recently been exploring themes like diversity and migration. Together with the Cello Biënnale, the Cello Octet developed the education project ‘de Bestorming’.