Oriental Landscapes is a five-city contemporary oriental music festival. The artistic vision of Oriental Landscapes reflects on the history of oriental music and searches for a common ground for the future of shared musical heritage. On the 17th of June Oriental Landscapes travels to Utrecht, and presents a mini festival in Hertz and the K.F. Hein Foyer.

The Oriental Landscapes festival presents new ensemble formations and new connections between Eastern and Western musicians. Oriental Landscapes will also introduce young artists and performers who have not appeared in the Netherlands before and premiere new compositions.

19.30 h - K.F. Hein Foyer: Nouri Iskandar Trio and Mirna Kassis
Nouri Iskandar Trio and Mirna Kassis present a very diverse program that combines traditional folk songs from different regions of Syria with as pieces from the Byzantian music tradition.

20.15 h - Hertz: New European Ensemble and Oriental Soloists
This collaboration is the main concert of the festival. It involves Dutch and Syrian composers. Several commissioned pieces are being composed at the moment. The New European Ensemble was founded in 2008 in the Netherlands by dedicated and passionate musicians from across Europe. The ensemble has built up a national and international reputation for imaginative programming, ‘great enthusiasm’ (Nutida Musik) and ‘excellent performances’ (de Volkskrant). The ensemble’s musicians showcase a diversity of talents. They perform new music but are also active as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral leaders. They present new music in exciting ways by combining music with other art forms like film, literature, theatre, dance and visual art and performing in alternative venues outside the concert hall. The musicians want to share new music with a broad audience while challenging themselves artistically.