Buma Toonzetters Prize 2009 for Robin de Raaff

On Sunday evening August 30th composer Robin de Raaff received the Buma Toonzetters Prize 2009 for his Violin Concerto.

The international jury headed by Lucas Vis claimed this piece to be the best Dutch composition of the year 2008.  The prize of €10,000 was presented in the MuziekGebouw aan ‘t IJ during the second edition of the festival Toonzetters.

The jury praised the composition for its “immense virtuosity” and described the piece as “very expressive and rich in sound. The Violin Concerto was dedicated to the performers of the premiere, conductor Jaap van Zweden, the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and violinist Tasmin Little.  This premiere took place during the Saturday matinee on December 6th, 2008.

Next to de Raaff’s work performances were given last weekend with music by Peter Adriaansz, Wilbert Bulsink, Einar Torfi Einarsson, Rozalie Hirs, Hanna Kulenty, Roderik de Man, Martijn Padding, Edward Top and Klas Torstensson.

Toonzetters is an event for and of the composer and performers of contemporary composed music.  Toozetters aims to reach a broad public and reveal the adventurousness and variety of the newest music by Dutch composers.

This festival is a collaboration of Buma Cultuur, the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ and Music Center the Netherlands.