Twaalfhoven, Merlijn

Through his organisation La Vie Sur Terre, composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven aims to create music, theatre and art projects that break through divisions in society. His projects have included a music festival in a Roma ghetto in eastern Slovakia, a 'secret festival' in Jerusalem and a series of concerts on the rooftops and balconies of Nicosia, the divided capital of Cyprus. In 2011, Unseco named him as a 'Young Artist for intercultural dialogue between the Western and Arab Worlds'. His Symphony for All project, which took place in Jordan in 2008, united the Amman Symphony Orchestra with members of the Palestinian Youth Orchestra and children from nearby refugee camps. Captured in a ten-minute video, the performance combined classical sounds with Arab instruments, solo singers and poetry, creating a metaphor for tolerance. Symphony for All has since been reimagined several times in the Netherlands, including a performance with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra under Jurjen Hempel.for more information check: www.twaalfhoven.net