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DUO IJLSTRA-GARCIA

Femke IJlstra - saxophone

Celia García-García - piano

ABOUT FEMKE & CELIA

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Gently she lifted her foot off the pedal. The last titillation of the piano’s string was muted and made way for that enticing second between music and applause. That moment of silence that shelters eternity. In that same gesture she opened her eyes and saw how her friend relieved her lungs from the emptiness. Their eyes met and sparkled.

It had felt like another journey through time and space, across mythical lands and unearthly paintings. Not a bad big, Femke would say.

 

That the two of them got on so well, neither had expected. Celia, a pianist with Spanish roots and appropriate passion, and Femke, very blonde saxophonist from the phlegmatic north of the Netherlands. 

 

“Music can be very nasty. There is beauty in that too. I think you’re more of a pleaser, Celia.” Said Femke to her after a concert.

-“Well, I quite like it that you provoke the audience, but I do indeed want people to go home feeling happy. A concert is like a night of storytelling. And yes, a good story does sting a little bit.”

-“Yes, aggression and madness!” joked Femke.

 

It had been a little big bang. The origin of their own musical universe. New planets, solar storms, star showers, dark matter… and endless colours. They formed a duo to convert their somewhat odd friendship into sound.

 

-“You are sweet, but sometimes a bit too hectic!”

-“Haha! No bullshit, as usual.” Celia retorted. “You are so candid. I appreciate that.”

-“Am I too dominant?"

-"Nah, you are a sweetheart"

 

Following that conversation they continued their dialogue, without words,

with the saxophone and the piano as eager translators.

"We take you to the musical south where we dance, sing and dream together in the evening light."

Femke & Celia

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Our debut album Colores del sur is ready! Order here or send us an e-mail to duoijlstragarcia@gmail.com.

Also available at our CD presentation concerts:

26th March 2022 20.00: Batavierhuis (Rotterdam) 

27th March 2022 15.00: Doopsgezinde kerk (Leeuwarden)

3rd April 2022 15.00: Jansstraat 33 (Haarlem)

REPERTOIRE:

I. Albéniz (1860-1909): Tango from España

P. Maurice (1910-1967): Tableaux de Provence 

I. Albéniz (1860-1909): Evocación from Iberia

M. de Falla (1876-1946): selection from Suite española 

M. Ravel (1875-1937): Pièce en forme de habanera 

H. Villa-Lobos (1887-1959): O canto do cisne negro 

J. Françaix (1912-1997): Cinq danses exotiques

D. Milhaud (1892-1974): Brazileira from Scaramouche 

K. Weill (1900-1950): Youkali

"IS JAZZ MUSIC TOO?"

[Dutch spoken]

"Is jazz music too?” is een ode aan de Canadese sopraan Éva ut (1885-1958). Éva was een vrouw, artiest, en een luis in de pels.

 

Het antwoord van Éva Gauthier op de vraag of jazz ook muziek is, zou een volmondig “ja” zijn geweest.

Maar niet iedereen kon zich in haar opvatting vinden, zo bleek op 1 november 1923 toen ze samen met Gershwin haar concert "Recital of Ancient and Modern Music for Voice” in de Aeolian Hall in New York opvoerde.

 

Ze waagde jazz naast klassiek te plaatsen in een “serieus” concert. Het muzikale establishment stond op de achterste benen. Jazz was geschikt is om op te dansen, maar niet om gepresenteerd te worden in een concert. Dat was 1923. Maar hoe denken we hier anno 2020 eigenlijk over? Duo IJlstra-García gaat op zoek.

Saxofoon en concept: Femke IJlstra

Piano en concept: Celia García-García

Muziek van Ravel, Gershwin, Berlin, Bellini, en Milhaud.

Teksten: Corinne Heyrman

Regie en Dramaturgie: Annechien Koerselman

Illustratie: Eline Jetten

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