Willem Pijper – A Very Modern Celebration

WORM’s programme for the celebration of the composer-writer Willem Pijper consists of a commissioned composition for an ensemble by a Rotterdam-based composer Christine Cornwell, and a radio piece with a printed publication by the Rotterdam art collective, ‘Fucking Good Art’. These new works reflect on the modernist ideas of Pijper, both in his music and how they played out in Rotterdam’s social and cultural life.

Curator Lucija Gregov: “Bearing in mind that Pijper was both a writer and a musician, I wanted to invite artists who create in these two mediums and could address the collective social issues which preoccupied Pijper in his practice as a critic, writer and composer.”

Christine Cornwell will create a piece performed live by an ensemble and fixed media: “PIJP-dreams woven together are strong-ER”. “What we make surrounds us, what we are surrounded with influences us, what we surround ourselves with becomes our home and this carefully balanced environment is changing every day until it is beyond control and beyond recognition. During Pijper’s time in Rotterdam much was lost and now we, the newcomers, bring our own surroundings to swirl in the river and between towers…”

‘Fucking Good Art’ will create a radio piece which will be made manifest as a podcast (broadcast around Oct 30th on Radio WORM) and some printed matter. Following their research at the ‘Rotterdam Cultural Histories’ project in 2021, they will further reflect on Pijper’s modernist legacy, one that shaped the city as we know it today. On the night, they will do a presentation and talk for the publication launch.

Project Partner: Gaudeamus https://gaudeamus.nl/