Sonja Beets

Sonja Beets (born 1953, Amsterdam) is a Dutch musician, composer, painter and poet who currently resides in France.

Life and career

Sonja Beets was born in Amsterdam and studied music at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating in piano in 1978 and in organ in 1979. She later continued her studies with George van Renesse and Nelly Wagenaar and studied the Asian instrument sarangi with Joep Bor.[1] She later also studied Celtic harp. She began work as a composer in 1987, and made her debut in 2000.[2]

In 1997 Beets founded the arts organization Muzenstede where she currently serves as director. In 2000 she acted as producer for the project Muzikale Stadswandeling te Wijk bij Duurstede, which was a musical tour through the Netherlands. In 2000 she also founded the ensemble Purusha.[3]

Beets lived and worked in Belgium from 2001–2007, and took up residence in France in 2007. Her works have been performed internationally.

Works

Beets composes mostly chamber and vocal works. Selected compositions include:

Opera
  • De Argeloze (chamber opera in 3 acts, libretto by Tom Sol, after Voltaire), lyrical soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 tenors, 2 baritones, bass-baritone, 2 basses, flute (+ piccolo), oboe (+ English horn), bassoon, hurdy-gurdy, violin, cello, double bass, Op. 39, 2001–03

Chamber
  • Euterpe 2, piano, harpsichord, Op. 12, 1999
  • Purusha, cello, piano, Op. 25, 2000
  • Fantasie, harp, cello, Op. 26, 2000
  • Klankdichtje, cello, piano, Op. 32, 2001
  • Trio, violin, cello, piano, Op. 38, 2001

Choral
  • Freedom (texts by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the composer), mixed chorus, piano, Op. 8, 1998
  • Muziek op Kerstmis (text by Willem de Mérode), mezzo-soprano, baritone, audience chorus, cello, organ, Op. 27, 2000

Other vocal
  • Time (text by the composer), baritone, piano, Op. 1, 1989
  • Mozart mon ami (text by Roger Riblet Buchmann), alto, piano, Op. 9, 1998
  • Mijn klok (text by Wijnand Steemers), baritone, piano, Op. 10, 1998
  • Dag Edwin (text by Eelco ten Have), baritone, piano, Op. 11, 1998
  • Du bist wie eine Blume (text by Heinrich Heine), mezzo-soprano, cello, organ, Op. 13, 1999
  • Das Fräulein stand am Meere (text by Heinrich Heine), mezzo-soprano, organ, Op. 14, 1999
  • O dit geluk bij u te zijn (text by Willem de Mérode), mezzo-soprano, organ, Op. 15, 1999
  • Tulpen (text by Willem de Mérode), soprano, piano, Op. 16, 1999
  • Rozen (text by Willem de Mérode), soprano, piano, Op. 17, 1999
  • Liefde, is er geen ander pad (text by Willem de Mérode), baritone, cello, piano, Op. 18, 1999
  • De stad (text by Willem de Mérode), alto, piano, Op. 19, 1999
  • Melancholia (text by Willem de Mérode), baritone, cello, Op. 20, 1999
  • De Dominee (text by Willem de Mérode), mezzo-soprano, baritone, harp, cello, piano, church bells (3 players)/fixed media, Op. 21, 1999
  • De Orgelspeler (text by Willem de Mérode), mezzo-soprano, cello, piano, Op. 22, 1999
  • De Pluk (text by Willem de Mérode), soprano, harp, Op. 23, 2000
  • Liedje (text by Willem de Mérode), tenor, baritone, harp, cello, Op. 24, 2000
  • Take all away from me (text by Emily Dickinson), tenor, piano, Op. 28, 2000
  • A word (text by Emily Dickinson), tenor, piano, Op. 29, 2000
  • A Jewel (text by Emily Dickinson), tenor, piano, Op. 30, 2000
  • Meditatie voor Kerstavond, soprano, baritone, cello, organ, Op. 31, 2000
  • Het Kussen (text by Willem de Mérode), baritone, cello, piano, Op. 33, 2001
  • Uitzicht (text by Willem de Mérode), baritone, cello, Op. 34, 2001
  • De witte kater (text by Willem de Mérode), baritone, cello, piano, Op. 35, 2001 (also version for baritone, bassoon, piano, Op. 35a, 2003)
  • Heksen (text by the composer), voice, cello, piano, percussion, Op. 36, 2001
  • Regenboogje (text by the composer), voice, violin, cello, Op. 37, 2001

Piano
  • Poème Nos. 1–3, Op. 2, 1989–90
  • Poème No. 4, 'Erkende schaduw', Op. 3, 1992
  • Poème No. 5, 'Vogels in de Winter', Op. 4, 1994
  • Kranacha Nos. 1–10 (text by Bert Overbeek), speaker ad libitum, piano, Op. 7, 1997[1]

References
  1. Sonja Beets, The Living Composers Project
  2. Sonja Beets, Classical Composers Database
  3. Harrandt, Andrea; Partsch, Erich Wolfgang (2008), Heinrich Heine in zeitgenössischen Vertonungen
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