Duo van der Ploeg / Hasegawa
 

Dutch oboist Esther van der Ploeg and Japanese pianist Yukiko Hasegawa have been a close-knit duo for many years. Their collaboration is defined by refined ensemble playing, a broad and thoughtful repertoire, and a shared joy in storytelling through music. In addition to traditional recitals, they frequently perform storytelling concerts in collaboration with narrator Rens van Hoogdalem, in which music and narrative blend seamlessly.

Het uitzonderlijke leven van Rosy Wertheim

This programme explores the life and work of Rosy Wertheim (1888–1949), a remarkable and often overlooked composer from the interwar period. She was one of the first Dutch women to earn a conservatory diploma and was active as a composer, pianist, and music journalist in Amsterdam, Paris, and Vienna. During the Second World War, she lived in hiding in the Netherlands and continued to compose despite the circumstances. Her music is melodic, clear, and thoughtful, reflecting both her classical training and French influences. The programme combines her own compositions with music by contemporaries who inspired her, enriched by spoken narration that brings her life and times closer to the audience — a tribute to a powerful musical voice that deserves to be heard.

Portret van Rosy Wertheim, in 1947 gemaakt door Riete M. Sterenberg-Gompertz

De oversteek van de Styx

This storytelling concert takes the audience on a journey to the underworld, guided by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus, the legendary singer who could move even the gods, descends into Hades to retrieve his beloved. This tale of love, doubt, and loss is interwoven with a programme of dramatic and poetic music, featuring works by Ravel, Poulenc, Liszt, and Britten — composers who each, in their own way, express the strength and fragility of the human soul. Music and narration reinforce one another in this timeless ode to love and art.

Joachim Platinir (1519-1524) “Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx” 

Ithaka aan de Horizon

Inspired by Homer’s epic The Odyssey, this programme follows the long journey of Odysseus as he attempts to return home to his beloved island of Ithaca. Along the way, he faces monsters, gods, temptations, and storms, while his wife Penelope waits at home. His voyage is not only physical but also symbolic — a journey of longing, uncertainty, and resilience. With music by Ravel, Koechlin, Prokofiev, Doráti, and Debussy, Esther van der Ploeg and Yukiko Hasegawa guide the audience on a musical odyssey where word and sound merge into a poetic and imaginative experience.

Arnold Böcklin (1827 – 1901) – Odysseus und Polyphemus (1896)

For further information about Yukiko, take a look at www.yukikohasegawa.com