The Initiators:
Duo NIHZ, The Guitar Company and Robert Horna
November 2004 I read an announcement in the paper of a sequence of recitals by young musicians who had started ensembles in order to try to gain a foothold in the concert circuit. The concerts looked fun to me, so I bought a pass for my Love and myself, just to go out together and have fun.
The name Duo Niet In Het Zwart (also abbreviated to Duo NIHZ) translates as Duo ‘Not Dressed In Black’, because they do not wish to appear in the rather formal DJ and evening gown, as is customary in the classical concert world.
Duo NIHZ consists of Bobby Rootveld (stringed instruments with a focus on guitars, percussion and dramatic improvisation) and Sanna van Elst (all kinds of recorders, from deep bass until super-soprano), who extend their musical performances with theatre and cabaret. They play both classical/traditional music and modern/improvised music, performing it in many recitals. They were on the air a number of times and recorded a CD. Do take a look at their website Duo NIHZ.
The Guitar Company consists of Bobby Rootveld, Torsten Preut, Jaap Majoor and Niels Ottink. They present a sampling of classical ensemble music in various styles and different line-up, from solo to quartet. Amongst their music is a lot of self-arranged material.
I met both ensembles (;-) together with their enthusiastic supporters) for the first time in the Synagogue in Borne, a small picturesque village in the vicinity of Enschede. Since World War Two, this Synagogue is not in use any more for religious practice, so now it is used as a little concert hall for exhibitions and performance of chamber music.
The performance of Duo NIHZ and The Guitar Company was a well balanced and enjoyable mix of music and theatre, all played with a great deal of verve.
Some of these people had the idea to start a great and ambitious project: The Twenthe Guitar Festival! Bobby Rootveld, Jaap Majoor, Niels Ottink and Robert Horna -who would give master classes himself and play a recital- established the Twenthe Guitar Festival Foundation and went to work!