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Miny Dekkers was musically trained
at the Amsterdam Music School. She is a member of several chamber
music ensembles and frequently gives recitals and concerts in
her native country Holland, as well as in France, Finland and
Canada. Miny participates in film and theatre production, and
plays regular accordion parts with among others the Royal Concertebouw
Orchestra of Amsterdam and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Miny Dekkers is a pioneer in the
development of new literature for the accordion as a solo instrument
and in chamber music. Currently she teaches at the Conservatorium
of Arnhem, Zwolle and Rotterdam, and organizes the prestigious
International Accordion Week in Amsterdam.
Henri Bok is a Professor of bass
clarinet at the Rotterdam Conservatory. He performs with major
international symphony orchestras, gives lectures and organizes
international seminars.
As its name implies "Duo Novair"
(nova) offers us something new and different, beginning with the
unique sound these two instruments create. Combination of bass
clarinet and accordion and alto saxophone and accordion is very
rare, but the final sound result is excellent. The two instruments
blend in together very naturally, producing rich, mature and vibrant
sound color. I found it most appealing.
The pieces the duo performs are
pure contemporary. The two musicians obviously are professionals
of high standard on their instruments. They perform with great
tonal culture, structuring the program meaning of the pieces very
thoughtfully, and achieving very vivid imaginary musical pictures/images.
In that regard, I think the composer's explanatory notes are very
helpful to the listener. Here is one:
About " Landscape and Clothes" composers
wrote as an introduction "The piece was written for Duo Novair
at the end of 1992. A constant landscape in which appears a woman
in ever-changing clothes. Such an event can also become music,
as everything else conceivable. A statistics (which dress, how
often) and an ever recurring prognosis, (today she will probably
wear this, that or the other) bring the decision during the composing,
partly decide the design, the colors to be chosen. Music can be
compelling right away, also for a long time, but it can also be
very different, thought of in a very different way. It is however
nothing else but a sounding mirror of an infinite multiformity".
This recording is surely a real
treat for the lovers of contemporary music.
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