Duo Van Raat | Napolov

Available for Bookings

For the season 2023-2024, the world’s most prominent pianist Ralph van Raat and percussionist Konstantyn Napolov are preparing a surprising program called “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Two performers come together to bring this exciting and “fresh” project to life and share it with the public. “Pictures at an Exhibition” has been produced to keep music lovers of various ages and preferences constantly energized and interested during the performance. An extensive percussion set-up with different sounds, small, large, and exotic instruments in combination with the powerful and energetic playing on the “King of instruments” grand piano and beautiful melodies with transitions between piano, vibraphone, and Thai gongs ensure that.

The theme of collecting and the importance of art, play an important role. The collection is a kind of addiction, even, to the love for music and innovations. The name of the program comes from Modest Mussorgsky’s famous and history-rich classical masterpiece “Pictures from an Exhibition” the arrangement is specially made for this program and takes a central point. The piano and percussion will open doors to the magical world of the exhibition and take listeners to the musical promenade walk in the Academy of Arts where we can experience the Old castle, The market of Limoges, and The ballet of unhatched chicks.

 

The work “The Collectors” by the leading German composer Moritz Eggert shows the vision of collecting in our time, seeing and hearing that the composer is addicted to collecting in real life. It is an exciting sound journey where the pianist will not only play the grand piano but also the Toy piano, Swiss cow sound toy, Kazoo, and much more in combination with the collection of 65 percussion instruments that the percussionist will perform during this journey. Both works have a direct connection to each other in the time mirror and will embrace the audience with their diverse stories surrounded by the musical company of “Reflections of Emptiness” by the renowned and prize-winning Ukrainian composer, living and working in Kyiv Maxim Kolomiiets. This work is a special commission for this program as part of the support for Ukrainian composers, which forms a musical bridge between the two works. And as a surprising icing on this musical cake – Piazonore by Alexej Gerassimez – an energetic musical part of this program with the elements of the Argentine Tango which the composer has seen in the paintings of street artists, after which no one will remain indifferent.

 

The arrangement of “Paintings from an Exhibition” also has a trio version with a solo violin part and it is also possible to invite a special guest, at the request of the concert hall or festival.

 


Press Kit : Duo Van Raat | Napolov

 


Program:

Duo version:
The Collectors – Moritz Eggert
Reflections of Emptiness – Maxim Kolomiiets (commission)

Piazonore – Alexej Gerassimez

Pictures at an Exhibition – Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Marijn Van Prooijen)

Kitchen Stories V – Martin Fondse

 

Trio version:

The Collectors – Moritz Eggert

Mono no Aware – Victoria Poleva – Trio (commission)

Piazonore – Alexej Gerassimez

Pictures at an Exhibition – Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Marijn Van Prooijen) – Trio with solo violin

Kitchen Stories V – Martin Fondse


 


Photography by Merlijn Doomernik


Ralph van Raat

 


Total duration: 80′