Early this I would not believe to be where I stand now. It’s also my first year that I have kept my new year resolution: Just do what makes you happy. It sounds a bit cheesy but this mindset slowly become an open door to possibilities. I face my own problems physically and mentally. I said goodbye to all that doesn’t please my anymore and embraced where my soul takes me. My soul brought me to old friends and new places. Redefined love, friendship and embraced the flow of the sun and moon.
No I do not dance naked under the full moon or go Stonehenge during midsummer soliste. I’m more of classic philosophy and give in to listen to ravings in my head. So sometimes I write again and started to make pictures. And even start experimenting with covers just to work on my confidence and I’m surprised that I still upload an weekly cover. So now time to try to write some music of my own and experiment with finding my own sound.
For next year? Well I wrote on my Facebook page next you my goals is to build bridges. From this year rediscover myself to next year build bridges and find myself as an artist to create art again in whatever the form will be crochet, photography, poetry or even music…..
Without even crossing the border back home (however borders only exist in our minds) and with the magic of the Veljanov’s concert still in my head. It’s head in the books and EarPods in the ears and last minute studying of The Armed Man of Jenkins while the silver train brings me home. However home is where the heart is so maybe I should have stayed in Berlin. But back to reality it’s a week of working, rest, working, photo editing, working, rehearsals, working, photo editing, working, rehearsals, preform, preform.
The Armed Man
When I got the news early this year that we would sing The Armed Man it was exited however one side it’s a little bit to filmish bombastic piece the more and more I dig in to it the more I loved it. We did it with the vision of 80 years of liberty of the south of the Netherlands. When I grew up sometimes my grandfather told me stories of the WOII how he had to work in Germany. He was one of those Dutch gentleman who did not hate Germans but he only hated Nazis. My dad always served the Dutch military and has been to Afghanistan for two times. So I grew up always aware that he’s a lot away and worked a lot Germany. Mabe that where my rebellion to learning German as a child came from or it’s just it’s because it to similar to Dutch. I personally love the German culture specially around Christmas, so as Dutch as I am yes I do that in Germany. So here I’m back where I stared this blog: Borders only exist in our minds. Just like enemies grow out of fear of what we do not know. Sometimes we need to face our past first to start something new.
Not only singing The Armed Man but the whole last two weeks where a personal journey of reflection and grow. As a photographer a singer and as a person.
Now I can call myself a opera singer Well I’m just a hobby singer in a local opera choir but it’s fun and helps. It also helps me with my tinnitus and hyperacusis. The last weeks I learned I have a neurologic tinnitus /hyperacusis so if I’m relax and my tinnitus/hyperacusis relax to. But they say after two years you can say I’m a opera singer. And the last two years my life started to flip back 180degrees back to my true love, music. Last year we celebrated 90 years of Osse Opera it was a nice mash up of opera an theatre and after that we went of a spring concert. So I learned a lot and specially for this last opera I learned several techniques that really makes my jaw stronger. I don’t have big plans I still love to be at the local opera and learn from Hans Lamers and the choir member and experiment at home. So singing is my therapy and love.
And now off to work 21 December we have a concert in a church in Reek. With some Jenkis, Orff, Verdi and Mozart. So a nice mesh up again and a lot to learn in a few weeks.
So after two weeks it’s take some rest, recharge and restart it all again and see what the future will bring.
The Armed Man – A mass for Piece Written by: Karl Jenkins Executive conductor: Sef Pijpers Jr. Osse opera conductor: Hans Lamers Bosche Opera conductor: Wim Reijnders Solo: Lucie van Ree & Zaid Tayem Location: Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre in ’s-Hertogenbosch Date: 16 & 17 November 2024 (sold out)
Harmonie Wilhelmina den Dungen, Vereniging Bosche Opera Osse Opera Vereniging And guest choir singers and artist
Well I guess I can say this is part two of my nostalgic blog (here is part one). After making pictures at Deine Lakaien in Planetarium Bochum it was now time to go back to concert venue’s again. The lighting will be completely different just like the crowd. So like the old days let’s go in the photopit!
It’s almost strange to think that it was over a decade that I have been in the photopit. But maybe it was the magic of Bochum still in my head or the nostalgic theme of the Veljanov tour that made that time hasn’t past. There where a lot of trusted faces that also makes it more comfortable to make pictures. Like Marcus Testory was also 2008 when I have had him in front of my camera for a report “a day with Chamber.”
While the concert in Oberhausen felt like just old school with the type of hall and the dancing people. Berlin felt really special to me. Being there thinking of the cd presentation of Porta Macedonia 16 years ago. The interview with Alexander at Summer Darkness festival in Utrecht 15 years. Celebrating 25 years Secrets of the Silver Tongue and this all on the day that 35 years ago the Berlin wall fell.
Berlin was a evening not just being nostalgic but also one of breaking my own walls that I build up. Walls that I build up to hide my grief and lost vision on where the heart takes you. It was like a coming home again. I guess just to pet my ego maybe I felt the “Anton Corbijn” of the evening and Alexander Veljanov is for me like what’s Bono for Anton Corbijn. That one person in front of you camera that somehow works like magic and always let’s you be on your best.
What a great time to be back in Berlin. The first and last time I made concert pictures in Berlin was 2008. It was a 26h visit to Berlin including drive. That was to the cd presentation of Veljanov Porta Macedonia album. So now after to lang ago back to Berlin and nog with was an upgraded trip of 60h or in short words nice weekend away. The atmosphere was great and Die Kammer was a great party again to warm up the venue. The evening was a nice celibration of Veljanov Secrets of the Silver Tongue. This nostalgic tour and specially Berlin really brought me back to 2008.
After 14 years it I have had the honor er make pictures again of a Veljanov concert. And it was the first tour after so manny years. But still it was time hasn’t past and the atmoshpere was great. Die Kammer was also a perfect combination to warm up the venue.
As a child I was always singing and dancing. As my mother always tells me that’s the moment when I’m always shining. So my love for music sparked my interest in tour documentaries and photographers like Anton Corbijn. This because I never see myself as a good singer or dancer. But the magic of music always got my attention. Also the art of fantasy movies and puppeteers. So I decided to study Multimedia Design to become a director.
During my study’s I had a teacher who had lived the rockstar life in the times of Top of the pops. So he was a big inspiration for me (even I’m not that wild). During my study I found out that I could express myself better with photography. All the freedom and I could work on my own. With a friend from the graphic design study we started Noize Magazine an E-zine (which was revolutionary at that time) with our passion for music, art, fashion and all gothic lifestyle. After we stopped Noize Magazine in the end of 2011. After that I was still studying Documentary Photography at the Art Academy of Sint Joost (NL). And my boyfriend (now husband) had his music promotion company so I still made pictures. But in 2014 after I lost my daughter I stopped making art and (documentary) photography.
Deine Lakaien In 2007 when we were preparing for Noize Magazine I was that Deine Lakaien would come to the Netherlands. Even it was there 20 years tour I just discovered them during a visit to Berlin where I ended up at their concert with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt. I got a photopass and against the note “no backstage access” I ended up meeting them backstage. For four years I have made pictures at several Deine Lakaien and Vejlanov concert and it was always a magical moment and almost a coming home. But as I stopped in 2014 I pushed away everything I loved. But corona times in 2020 brought nostalgic on the table and with endless scrolling time on social media they popped up. So slowly I started to follow them again. And with a warm welcome in Osnabruck 2021 (with all corona measurements) and a welcome home in Koln 2022. It was like all those years gone never existed. In 2024 I started to sort out my old photography work. And the thought of making pictures again at the Veljanov concert just like “the old days”. So last Saturday I ended up making pictures at the Seiss Planetarium Bochum. After 14 years I was making pictures again. It was like it was 2007 again small venue a magical venue and a perfect balance of listing and capturing the moment. But now with a upgrade set and it was like my break of photography was never there.
But now still making a tour documentary I again on my bucket list. Well mabe one day? I will see what will come on my path. And now I’m thinking I’m slightly doing that with at the Osse Opera where I’m singing.
A magical evening in a small outerspace dream setting. The concert was in a small magical setting. One almost impossible to capture on film. But it tried and if you get the chance to go then go. Just to let yourself drift away underneath the stars.
Also thank you to Gerold Smits for helping with the editing. Pictures copyright Helene Smits
