Thursday 16 October at 19:00 is the opening of the exhibition ELECTRINA'S about female pioneers in electronic music at the Plein Theater in Amsterdam Oost. Huba de Graaff composer of electronic music from the very beginning is curating this exhibition, which takes place as part of the first 'Blade & Blazers Festival' of Nieuwe Noten Amsterdam and the Plein Theater.
Huba de Graaff: "Making women visible in electronic music creates a small but necessary correction to the canon."
"Because electronic music is on the fringes, there is little knowledge about it. The same applies to male composers, of course, but much more has been written about Dick Raaijmakers, Jan Boerman and Michel Waisvisz.
The Netherlands lacks awareness of how original and special these women are. Now that I am getting older myself, I feel the need to draw attention to the subject. Because electronic music is ephemeral anyway. We don't make scores, so there is no tangible object. At best, there is a recording, but you always have to transfer those audio files to a new format if you want to preserve them for the future.
I showcase a series of female composers who have sought freedom and been able to develop by working with electronics, including. Greta Vermeulen, Tera de Marez Oyens, Moniek Toebosch, Anne LaBerge, Alison Isadora and so on. There are sketches of their works that are visually rewarding and a QR code allows you to click through to more extensive information."
Programme
Opening Thursday 16 October at 19.00 with Aad van Nieuwkerk
Location: Plein Theater, Sajetplein 39, 1091 BD Amsterdam
Admission free, but please book via the button below.
Following is the opening concert of the Leaf & Wind Festival.
The exhibition is free to visit Tuesday to Friday during office hours (from noon) and when there is a performance or activity at the theatre. And by appointment.
Huba de Graaff
Huba de Graaff (born Amsterdam, 1959) occupies an exceptional place in the landscape of contemporary music. She has produced a series of unique musical theatre works over the last 25 years. She studied violin, sonology and composition, among others with Gilius van Bergeyk, Louis Andriessen, Fredric Rzewski, Dick Raaymakers and Walter Zimmermann. Her composition work is not limited to writing notes. She is also often on stage herself. Back in the 1980s, she played violin in bands such as The Tapes and Transister. Later, she performed with self-built instruments, such as a metal dress, with which she could control all kinds of electronics. She is always busy with mixing desks, laptops and electronics and gives many lectures about her always fascinating and highly original projects.
www.hubadegraaff.com
Leaf & Wind Festival
Nieuwe Noten Amsterdam (NNA), the monthly concert series for contemporary chamber music, presents the 'Blade & Blazers Festival' for the first time in their six-year existence. A four-day musical event taking place from Friday 16 to Sunday 19 October 2025 at the Plein Theater in Amsterdam Oost. With a programme of established (inter-) national musicians, young talent and crossovers with visual arts and dance, curators Aspasia Nasopoulou (composer) and Fie Schouten (bass clarinetist) will give inspiring new music and compositions a stage. Click here for more information
