APATHEIA

Commissioned by WMC Kerkrade (NL) Dedicated to my dear friend and inspiration: Maestro Tijmen Botma The title APATHEIA has its origins in Stoicism and is aptly described in the international bestseller Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. The Stoics did not strive for fame or material success, but for inner peace: the absence of negative emotions such as fear, shame, and anger, and the presence of positive feelings such as love, gratitude, serenity, and happiness. This state of balance, apatheia, forms the heart of this composition.

The work opens with a mysterious cell – a musical motif that is woven throughout the entire composition. This cell grows and transforms organically, forming the breeding ground for a lyrical unfolding. Solo lines gradually unfold the thematic material, with subtle references to the subsequent, more signal-like section. Here, technical and tonal challenges are not shunned, but always serve the musical expression. From bar 44 onwards, the work enters a more layered and grandiose phase. This passage, in which different tempos, independent lines, and ad libitum elements come together, offers the conductor plenty of room for interpretation and personal interpretation. The structure and freedom are reminiscent of Percy Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posy, ensuring that each performance is unique. Conductors often describe passages like this as the moments when “the young boys are distinguished from the real men.” The middle section of the composition is undoubtedly the emotional heart of the work. In this passage, the listener is carried away into a world of deep sensitivity and expression. From an intimate atmosphere, a powerful, melodic build-up gradually develops, culminating in a gripping climax, carried by the full instrumentation. This lyrical outburst, rich in color and sound, is a moment of catharsis — a musical breath in which emotion, beauty, and inner peace come together. The combination of transparent textures and warm harmonies makes this part an intensely experiential core moment within the work. With APATHEIA, I want to create not only a musical journey, but also an inner one. The work is written with a love of lyricism, depth, and instrumentation, and is dedicated with deep respect to Tijmen Botma — a friend, an inspiration, and a musical spirit who embodies this state of serenity like no other.