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| International Holland Music Sessions | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Holland Music Sessions |
| Genre | Jazz, Classical, World, Contemporary |
| Location | Netherlands |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Founders | Hans van den Berg; Marijke de Vries |
| Dates | Annual |
International Holland Music Sessions is an annual Dutch festival and artist-development program that presents concerts, workshops, residencies and recordings for emerging and established musicians across jazz, classical and world music. Founded in the early 21st century, the event combines live performance, studio sessions and pedagogical activities in cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. The Sessions have attracted artists connected to institutions like the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and ensembles associated with the North Sea Jazz Festival, while collaborating with broadcasters, record labels and cultural foundations.
The project was initiated by producer Hans van den Berg and curator Marijke de Vries after consultations with representatives from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Buma/Stemra and the Dutch Ministry of Culture; early partners included North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland Festival, Bimhuis, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Influences cited by founders included programming models from the Montreux Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Paris Jazz Festival and the Vienna Jazz Festival. Initial editions featured collaborations with the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Codarts Rotterdam, Utrecht Conservatory and broadcast partnerships with NPO Radio 4, Radio Netherlands Worldwide and BBC Radio 3. Over time the Sessions developed ties to record companies such as ECM Records, ACT Music, Blue Note Records, Verve Records and Decca Records.
Programming mixes concert series, studio recording days, masterclasses and panel discussions inspired by models used at Red Sea Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival and Montreal International Jazz Festival. Each edition typically includes residencies hosted by venues like Bimhuis, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Het Concertgebouw, Luxor Live and Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn, plus afternoon workshops at higher-education partners such as Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Royal Conservatory of The Hague and Codarts. The Sessions commission new works in collaboration with ensembles linked to the Dutch Chamber Orchestra, Metropole Orkest, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and project labels including Ninja Tune. Educational strands feature guest tutors drawn from Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, NDR Bigband, London Symphony Orchestra and visiting artists associated with Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music and Royal Academy of Music.
Participants have included instrumentalists, vocalists, composers and producers with connections to Toots Thielemans, Jan Gabarek, Jacob Collier, Stacey Kent, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Esbjörn Svensson-affiliated projects, and ensembles linked to The Hague Jazz Orchestra, Metropole Orkest and Netherlands Wind Ensemble. Guest artists and mentors have been drawn from networks around Brad Mehldau, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Anouar Brahem, Tord Gustavsen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Kronos Quartet, Arcade Fire collaborators, and producers from ECM Records and Blue Note Records. Dutch artists featured include alumni from Caro Emerald projects, Jesse van Ruller, Reinier Baas, Niels Broos, Tineke Postma and ensembles formed through ties to North Sea Jazz Academy.
The Sessions rotate among Dutch cultural hubs including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Leiden, Eindhoven and Groningen. Signature venues include Bimhuis, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ', Het Concertgebouw, Rotterdam Ahoy for larger presentations, De Doelen, Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn, Paradiso and Luxor Live. Satellite performances and workshops have taken place at museums and institutions such as the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Mauritshuis, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and regional theaters linked to provincial cultural funds like Fonds Podiumkunsten.
The Sessions have received endorsements and grants from bodies such as Fonds Podiumkunsten, Mondriaan Fund, Dutch Performing Arts Fund and awards juried by panels including representatives from ECHO Klassik, Nederlandse Muziekprijs committees and advisory boards connected to European Festivals Association. Artists who premiered works at the Sessions have later been nominated for international honors including the Grammy Awards, Mercury Prize and BBC Jazz Awards, and have received recognitions from institutions such as Erasmus University Rotterdam cultural programs and exchange grants through Creative Europe.
The organization operates as a collaborative network involving producer offices, cultural foundations and academic partners including Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Codarts, University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam and the municipality cultural departments of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Production teams have worked with event-management firms that supported North Sea Jazz Festival and international presenters affiliated with Live Nation, AEG Presents and boutique labels such as ECM Records and ACT Music. Technical production draws on crews experienced with sound engineering standards established by venues like Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ', orchestral production practices of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and broadcast workflows compatible with NPO Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3.
Critical reception in Dutch and international press has linked the Sessions to conversations in outlets including De Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad, Trouw, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Times (London), Le Monde, Die Zeit and Jazzwise. Commentators have noted the event’s role in artist development comparable to programs at Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music residencies and festival academies like the North Sea Jazz Academy. The Sessions have fostered cross-cultural projects with musicians from South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, Morocco, India and Japan, creating recordings and touring ensembles that later appeared at Montreux Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz, WOMAD, Sziget Festival and Roskilde Festival.