Vocal ensemble Ludens sings: CANTO – when time becomes space and music begins to float.
With the program CANTO, the Hague Vocal Ensemble Ludens invites the audience to an intense musical experience focused on repetition, stillness, and freedom. In this concert, contemporary choral music, improvisation, and a unique vocal arrangement of the Canto Ostinato merge to create a soundscape where time seems to stand still.
Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato forms the heart of the program, in a unique arrangement by composer Diederik van der Laag , performed by Ludens and pianist Victor Lange. The singers move freely within the composition’s structure, creating each performance anew in the moment. As Ten Holt himself put it: “Time becomes space in which the musical object begins to float.”
A program of songs by various composers is sung around the Canto, in which sound, text, and atmosphere reinforce each other. Music by Caroline Shaw, Philip Glass , and Karin Rehnqvist guides the listener through musical textures, poetic repetition, and tranquil sounds. In Van der Laag’s “Daughter of the Vine ,” the ethereal sound of singing wine glasses resonates as a symbolic gateway to the world of the Canto.
In this program, Ludens also incorporates improvisation, accompanied in part by piano and vibraphone. This play with freedom is an essential element of their artistic identity. Conductor Raoul Boesten explains: “What does music sound like when it’s not just performed, but also born in the moment? In CANTO, we explore that place where listening, playing, and letting go converge.”
CANTO is not a traditional concert, but an invitation to stillness, attention, and introspection. A musical journey where repetition is not repetition, but each time reveals something new, and where the listener is allowed to drift along for a moment in the magical center of the present.
Concert information
- Sunday, March 1 – Concert begins at 3:15 PM – Waalsekerk, The Hague
Vocal ensemble Ludens, led by Raoul Boesten, consists of 12 singers and was founded in 2021 under the auspices of the Kwintessens Foundation. Ludens is known for its captivating performances and profound interpretations of both early and contemporary music. Their goal is to give audiences a soul-stirring experience. To create an experience that connects and brings us closer together.
Tickets: https://stichtingkwintessens.nl
