Bart de Vrees – The State of Dutch New Music

How do you, as a composer and creator, reclaim free spaces for yourself – to create, to think critically, to engage in discussions with kindred spirits – in a time when that freedom is eroding? Composer, musician, and curator Bart de Vrees, in his opening speech for the Gaudeamus Festival 2025, reflects on The State of Dutch New Music, in collaboration with Buma Cultuur.