Robin de Raaff wins Buma Toonzetters Prize 2009

On Sunday evening, August 30th composer Robin de Raaff received, to great applause, 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 was in the Saturday Matinee on December 6th, 2008.

Toozetters aims to reach a broad public and reveal the adventurousness and variety of the newest music by Dutch composers. This results in a top -10 which the jury derived from some one hundred entries, works by Dutch composers which were premiered in 2008.

Next to de Raaff’s work performances were given of the top 10 of Toonzetters 2009 with music by Peter Adriaansz, Wilbert Bulsink, Einar Torfi Einarsson, Rozalie Hirs, Hanna Kulenty, Roderik de Man, Martijn Padding, Edward Top and Klas Torstensson.

The NPS broadcasted the final concert on August 30th. You can listen to the broadcast here.
Toonzetters is a festival in collaboration with Buma Cultuur, the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ and Music Center the Netherlands.