De tribale trommels van Ortiz en Revueltas

Honor to the Maya culture

Gabriela Ortiz, composer in residence 2025–2026 at the Concertgebouw, has already received multiple Grammy Awards for her music. On February 1, 2026, three more Grammys were added in one fell swoop, including the one for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. For La Reina Roja , this Mexican composer was inspired by the discovery of a tomb containing a high-ranking Maya woman from the seventh century. No better combination is conceivable than with music by fellow countrywoman Revueltas. His La noche de los mayas is an orchestral suite based on music for the film of the same name. The finale with twelve percussionists is imposing and hypnotic. A spectacular tribute to the tribal traditions of the Maya. Experience the primal rhythmic power of their music, long before Columbus set foot on South American soil. Xenakis' percussion solo Rebonds B forms the perfect opening.

Landscapes full of sound

The concert opens with Tumblebird Contrails by the young American composer Gabriella Smith. She grew up in the bay near San Francisco and feels a strong connection to nature. While backpacking, far from civilization, she listened to the hallucinatory sounds of the Pacific Ocean, which she effectively manages to capture in music. The Dutch premiere will be performed this afternoon.