After Dirty Minds and Hello Darkness is In Heaven the final part of a triptych. But who thinks Olivia Vermeulen and Jan Philip Schulze are wrapping up their creative process is wrong. This third programme remains in flux. Another song went off the programme recently and philosophising continues quietly, Olivia tells me, when I speak to her in the morning on 26 June. She is in Vienna at the time for a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The next day, she will travel to Amsterdam for a performance. The Spoleto Arts Festival will follow in July. But today, she first makes time for Friends of the Song, the association she remains loyal to despite her busy career.
After the sensual of Dirty Minds and observing death in Hello Darkness describes In Heaven the world from a distance; momentarily away from the earthly, even literally describing sun, moon and stars. ‘But also ascending, rising into ecstasy is sung about,’ Olivia explains. Exactly how this plays out, we can experience when we visit the concert in November in Amsterdam or Nijmegen.
As we have come to expect from the duo, it will be a quirky recital. For years, Olivia and Jan Philip have been masters of highly personal presentations of a song programme. They are forerunners, researchers and creative performers. ‘I am obviously working with a very passionate pianist,’ says Olivia. ‘Jan Philip is also organising the most fun song classes again this summer in Hanover, where he teaches at the Hochschule für Musik. I live with a director, which makes you think extra about form and performance.’
‘What would you like to give young singers and pianists?’ I ask her. Her answer: ‘Make sure you are seen. Think about that. Immerse yourself just a bit more, just a bit further. And dare to think bigger. Look at your process from some distance and with ambition. You're not there right away if you dare to combine various music styles, for instance. Something that's happening a lot at the moment, of course. It's just a thin line between good and bad taste. It is important to really make the music your own. It may be that the choice of song turns out not to suit you or your programme well enough. Then you have to put it behind you again and think further.’
As we close after some friendly summer wishes, I find myself still thinking about Olivia's advice to young artists. All that experience, all that creativity. A master class by this duo, it would be a good idea!
Francine van der Heijden
board member
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This concert is part of the Concertgebouw's Vocal 1 series. Members will receive with the code they received in the August newsletter 30% discount on the entrance fee. Read more about this discount offer here >
