Biography
Bram Kortekaas (1989) studied composition with Willem Jeths and Wim Henderickx at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and political science at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Copenhagen.
Several of Kortekaas’ compositions have been influenced by political or historical events. In Notenkrakers' notulen (Nutcraker’s minutes, 2020), a work for soprano and orchestra commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he brings the minutes of the tumultuous 1970 public discussion between the so-called ‘Nutcrackers’ protestors and the board of the Concertgebouw Orchestra to life.
Voetnoten bij de menselijke komedie (Footnotes to the human comedy), a commission by the NTR ZaterdagMatinee concert series, is based on columns written for the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant by Arnon Grunberg. This work was premiered by the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Choir under the baton of Karel Mark Chichon in October 2017, and reprised in the in the 2019-2020 season with the same choir, the Residentie Orchestra and conductor Nicholas Collon.
Kortekaas’ compositional output comprises over ten orchestral works that have gained attention for their detailed orchestration. The composition The Pillars of Creation was awarded the first prize in the Euregio Youth Orchestra Composition Competition 2015. The Dreamcatcher was nominated for the International Rostrum of Composers 2018.
His most recent work for orchestra is L’Élue, a prelude to Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps written for the NJO National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands.
Raas en de basketbal, a musical adventure story on a text by Jibbe Willems, was published as a podcast by the Dutch public broadcaster NPO in 2021 and, after lifting of the lockdowns, found its way to the theatres in 2022 with further performances scheduled in 2023.
His music is performed by amongst others the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Choir, Residentie Orkest Den Haag, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Kortekaas has worked with conductors and musicians such as Nicholas Collon, Antony Hermus, Thomas Zehetmair, Bas Wiegers, and Katharine Dain.
His compositions are published by Donemus. Bram Kortekaas is a board member of the Nieuw Geneco, the association of Dutch composers.
