THE OPIUM OTILKA QUARTET PERFORMED TWO NEW PIECES BY CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

Two new pieces by Corrie van Binsbergen!

Opium Otilka Quartet - - - 'De Harmonie Der Scheuren' (C. van Binsbergen)

Opium Otilka Quartet - - - 'Voer Voor Struikrovers' (C. van Binsbergen)

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - - - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

Earlier this week, we caught the latest Corrie van Binsbergen project at Tivoli Vredenburg in Utrecht, NL.
"What The World Needs Now".

In case you missed it, the show will be still be performed a couple of times:

• 28/02/2026 Pardox Tilburg NL
• 01/03/2026 Jazz Inverdan Zaandam NL
• 02/03/2026 Pletterij Haarlem NL
• 14/03/2026 Mahogany Hall Edam NL

To get an idea of what you will be treated to... the 28/11/2025 concert at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam NL got recorded and can be viewed on YouTube !!

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - - - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

https://www.bimhuis.nl/agenda/corrie-van-binsbergen-what-the-world-needs-now

"What The World Needs Now"
Corrie van Binsbergen

Nov 28, 2025 at Het Bimhuis in Amsterdam, NL

This year, the BIMHUIS Composition Commission has been awarded to Corrie van Binsbergen. Fragments of text, lines of poetry, sentences from interviews with artists, film dialogues and more form the libretto that forms the basis of her new composition. It will be performed by a special septet of mostly young musicians with whom Van Binsbergen has not worked before. She herself will control the text samples on stage and play the guitar.

Corrie van Binsbergen is a composer, guitarist and leader of the Brokken Foundation, with which she has initiated countless cross-border projects. She became known with her group Corrie en de (Grote) Brokken. She developed a unique and surprising combination of music and literature, which she calls films for the ears. She has collaborated with many writers, including Remco Campert, Manon Uphoff, Josse De Pauw and Toon Tellegen. She has received important awards, including the Boy Edgar Prize and the Buma Classical Award 2024.

ORKEST DE EREPRIJS

Orkest / Orchestra De Ereprijs is a Dutch 15-piece contemporary ensemble (based in Apeldoorn).

Recorded in concert in 2014, and put on YouTube in 2016, they performed Frank Zappa's 'Bamboozled By Love':

The same Orkest De Ereprijs has released several albums.
No Zappa tunes to be found there, unfortunately, but they did record a composition by Corrie van Binsbergen for their "Museumtour 2023" album.

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - - - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

 Corrie van Binsbergen received a composition commission from Het Bimhuis, the cultural temple in Amsterdam, NL.
The result is called "What The World Needs Now" and it will premiere at Het Bimhuis on November.

Poetic lines, sentences from interviews with artists and film dialogues form the libretto on which Corrie van Binsbergen bases her composition for a unique septet. The line-up features versatile musicians with whom Van Binsbergen has not worked before. Van Binsbergen herself controls the text samples on stage. She may also pick up the guitar.

In her recent newsletter, Corrie mentioned that at least one of the quotes is by Frank Zappa:
'The biggest problem facing the world today is mental health. If everybody had good mental health then all the other problems would be solved.'

• Nov 28 2025 WTWNN BIMHUIS AMSTERDAM, NL
• Nov 29 2025 WTWNN BREBL NIJMEGEN, NL
• Dec 02 2025 WTWNN TIVOLI VREDENBURG UTRECHT, NL
• Feb 28 2026 WTWNN PARADOX TILBURG, NL

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN TO PERFORM WITH HET WISSELEND TOONKWINTET

Toon Tellegen en het Wisselend Toonkwintet will be performing in Rozendaal (near Arnhem, NL) on Friday, July 4, 2025.

(not Roosendaal near Antwerp, BE !!)

open air concert with

• Toon Tellegen - narrator
• Corrie van Binsbergen - guitar
• Joost Buis - trombone and lap steel
• Albert van Veenendaal - piano
• Hein Offermans - bass
• Alan ‘Gunga’ Purves - percussion

https://dezoomerij.op-shop.nl/9804/toon-tellegen-en-het-wisselend-toonkwintet-spelen-god-onder-de-mensen/04-07-2025

REQUIEM VOOR DE ONWERKELIJKHEID (REQUIEM FOR THE UNREALITY)

Last Friday we went to see "Requiem Voor De Onwerkelijkheid", a beautiful play / opera / requiem by Silbersee.
At the concert hall in Tilburg, NL. The perfect location.

Text by Toon Tellegen, music by Corrie van Binsbergen.
Performed by Hans Croiset (narrator), Corrie van Binsbergen (guitar), Albert van Veenendaal (piano) and an amazing group of vocalists (and musicians): Carolina Alves-Luis, Tom Jansen, Donneke Jansonius, Sterre Konijn, Sarah Marieke van Lieshout, Fernando Linares-Correa, Nestor Martinez Jara, Lodewijk Meeuwsen, Christina Plein, Carl Refos, Wilma Schilte, Florian Slangen, Fee Suzanne de Ruiter, Georgi Sztojanov, en Leo de Visser.

(picture: Bowie Verschuuren)

The play itself is indeed unreal, bizarre and chaotic, but also endearing. And it's in a fine balance with the music that keeps it all on track.
Stunning. Visually and musically.

Add the breathtaking costumes and stage setting, and you will understand that this was something that we had never experienced before.

If you get the opportunity,...

• Sunday 30 March – 14:30 - Theater Speelhuis - Helmond
• Tuesday 8 April – 20:15 - Stadsschouwburg - Groningen
• Sunday 13 April – 15:00 - Hanzehof - Zutphen
• Friday 18 April – 20:15 - Grote Kerk - Alkmaar
• Wednesday 30 April – 20:30 - Schouwburg Hengelo - Hengelo
• Thursday 1 May – 20:00 - Stadsschouwburg - Utrecht
• Wednesday 7 May – 20:15 - Theater Junushoff - Wageningen
• Thursday 8 May – 20:30 - Chassé Theater - Breda
• Sunday 11 May – 15:00 - Koninklijke Schouwburg - Den Haag

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

Corrie van Binsbergen
November 28, 2025
'Bimhuis', Amsterdam, NL

BIMHUIS commissioned Corrie van Binsbergen to compose a piece.
Know as composer, guitar player and band leader, Corrie van Binsbergen, will be using snippets of text, lines of poetry, phrases from interviews with artists, film dialogues and more to make up the libretto underlying her new composition.
It will be performed by a septet of mostly young musicians with whom Van Binsbergen has not worked previously.
Corrie will direct the text samples on stage and may even take up the guitar.

Make a note in your calendar !

PS: this the Friday night that the Mosae Zappa festival will kick off in Heerlen...

picture - (c) Hans de Bruijn

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN RECEIVED THE BUMA CLASSICAL AWARD 2024

An interview (in the Dutch language):

https://newmusicnow.nl/verken/article/corrie-van-binsbergen-wint-buma-classical-award

A recent composition by Corrie:

Corrie van Binsbergen · Barbara Hannigan Sidenote: Howart Report, page 30 (composed for Asko/Schönberg, 2008)

VIVIENNE AERTS - TYPUHTHÂNG

• vivienne aerts: typuhthâng
      (2023, booklet + cd, --, private release)

Vocalist and composer Vivienne Aerts released "Typhthâng" a bit over a year ago.
The album highlights, showcases and focusses on female musicians.

I wanted to check out "Typuhthâng" because both Corrie van Binsbergen and Hermine Deurloo participated.
I had hoped that Corrie would have added a typical guitar solo somewhere, but that turned out to be more electronic sound effects.
Hermine Deurloo's harmonica solo in 'You're My Morning' gave me goosebumps.  

"Typuhthâng" is ethereal and fairy-like. It floats between jazz and folk.
It's a beautiful tribute to the women in music.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - ASPECTS OF JAZZ FROM THE NETHERLANDS VOL.12

• various artists: aspects of jazz from the netherlands vol.12
      (1988, cd, the netherlands, bfo a-12)

Although it isn't mentioned as such, "Aspects Of Jazz From The Netherlands Vol. 12" probably was some sort of promotional release.
Even more confusing is the fact that the album cover mentions "Studies In Jazz 1" as the title.
Anyway, Volume 12 in a series, but I'm only familiar with this one.
The reason is simple: the first track on the CD is 'Bin's Lick" by Corrie van Binsbergen's band at the time: Corrie en de Brokken.

'Bin's Lick' sounds great (and it cannot be found on any other of Corrie's albums).
The rest of the album sounds fine as well.
From 1988 !

Here's Corrie van Binsbergen performing 'Zoot Suit' (a Frank Zappa tribute)
From 2022 !

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN UPDATE

Dutch guitar player and composer Corrie van Binsbergen composed the music for "Apollo", a (Dutch) theater show for kids, performed by the RAAF music theater and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.

A recording of the show is available as a download-only audiobook.

https://raafmuziektheater.nl/luisterboek-apollo/

Corrie put up some fragments on her Soundcloud page :

https://soundcloud.com/corrie-van-binsbergen/sets/apollo-rotterdams

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN UPDATE

As you may know, Corrie van Binsbergen has put aside her guitar. She's now full-time composing.
One of here recent projects, 'De Liefste Wens', commissioned by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, is getting a follow-up.
The new project is called APOLLO and it's a performance by the Raven Music Theatre, with music written by Corrie and performed by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

HKU LARGE ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM MUSIC BY CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

The HKU Ensemble will perform music by Corrie van Binsbergen, on December 22 at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam.

The program will include pieces from 'Magic Sock', Corrie's tribute to Frank Zappa (from 2003).

https://www.bimhuis.nl/agenda/corrie-van-binsbergen-hku-large-ensemble-2/

HKU LARGE ENSEMBLE PERFORMS THE MUSIC OF CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

March 31, 2023, the HKU Large Ensemble performed music by Corrie van Binsbergen, who also conducted the ensemble.

Performed & recorded at Tivoli, Utrecht, NL

Beautiful music, including the amazing Zappa tribute 'Zoot Suit'.

0:00 Night Sky

7:09 Alles Beweegt
10:19 The Magic Sock part I & V
22:15 Blues for Penelope
31:52 Fifteen
34:45 Tergen / tekst uit Onze Broze Aarde – Antjie Krog
41:38 De Trein naar Ulan Bator
47:56 Zoot-Suit Revisited
53:43 Sean’s Birthday

Another performance might get scheduled in Amsterdam in December.

JOSSE DE PAUW

• josse de pauw, peter vermeersch, pierre vervloesem: weg
      (1998, cd, belgium, viakra)

Actor Josse De Pauw teamed up with Peter Vermeersch and Pierre Vervloesem to perform "Weg" in 1998.
The album got released on the Viakra label in 1998 and got re-released in 2010 on the Off Records label with different artwork.
Highly recommended, but you need to understand the Flemish language.

Josse has a great voice. When he starts talking, you listen. And for some reason, it merges beautifully with music.

Here's Josse with the Corrie van Binsbergen Band, from 2006.

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - - - I WASN'T TALKING

Corrie van Binsbergen isn't playing the guitar anymore. She is devoting her time to composing.

But she did launch a YouTube series entitled "I Wasn't Talking", her answer to Frank Zappa "Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar".

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI7mzXL4gTqRT9MxKLezRoaCx-_tABGsb

VARIOUS ARTISTS - EURO JAZZ 2002

• various artists: euro jazz 2002
      (2002, cd-promo, greece, jazz & tzaz)

20 years ago, the ”Euro Jazz 2002” promotional CD sampler was included with Greek jazz and world music Jazz & Tzaz magazine. The disc included Corrie van Binsbergen’s ‘Zoot-Suit I & II’, the first parts of a suite that Corrie wrote in tribute to the music of Frank Zappa.

Here's a shaky video / live version of 'Zoot Suit'.

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN'S ZAPPA TRIBUTE PERFORMED BY THE METROPOLE ORKEST

Dutch Jazz Jam : Boy Edgar Prijs

Metropole Orkest,
with special guests Benjamin Herman, Corrie van Binsbergen, Jeroen van Vliet and Martin Fondse 

• March 24, 2022 - Rotterdam, NL
• March 29, 2022 - Tilburg, NL
• April 06, 2022 - Amsterdam

Corrie van Binsbergen has reworked her Zappa tribute 'Zoot Suit' for these concerts !!

Tickets are available.

VANBINSBERGEN PLAYSTATION

Earlier today, we crossed the border to see and hear Vanbinsbergen Playstation in concert in Baarle Nassau, NL.

Quite happy to still be able to see this matinee concert (it started at 14h00) as the latest Dutch Covid Restrictions don't allow events after 17h00.

Amazing.
Beautiful music and a superb performance.

Guitar player, composer and band leader Corrie van Binsbergen recently made a video recording of the March concert in Utrecht available on YouTube.

Check it out (and buy their album if you like what you hear)

• METE ERKER tenor sax, bass clarinet
• MIGUEL BOELENS alto sax, soprano sax
• MORRIS KLIPHUIS horn, trumpet
• JOOST BUIS trombone, lapsteel
• ALBERT VAN VEENENDAAL prepared piano
• CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN guitar
• DION NIJLAND bass
• YONGA SUN drums