The Spidy Editor | Clare Varney - Music | Food

Han-Na Chang conducts a programme full of stories with the RCO

24 June 2025Music

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s concert last Thursday was definitely one for the ladies. Conductor Han-Na Chang, making her long-awaited debut, was joined by section principals, cellist Tatjana Vassiljeva-Monnier and violist…

Shaken and not stirred: Mahler Beyond at the Concertgebouw

24 May 2025Music

Without a doubt, Marina Mahler grand-daughter to Gustav Mahler, is a force of nature. As President and co-founder of the Mahler Foundation, her mission is “to share and spread the…

Schiff’s undeniable mastery shines brightly in Amsterdam

22 May 2025Music

Andras Schiff | OAE | Concertgebouw | Clare Varney

András Schiff’s dulcet piano tones flooded the Concertgebouw. Sitting centre-stage, a French 1838 Érard piano from the Edwin Beunk Collection in Enschede. Earlier in the week, Schiff had shared how…

The Enschede firework disaster: a city reflects

13 May 2025Culture

A series of explosions at the SE Fireworks storage facility on May 13th, 2000, ripped through the heart of Enschede. The repercussions are still felt today. 23 people died, 1250…

Unpicking the writing process with debut novelist, Lucy Steeds

30 April 2025Culture

British author, Lucy Steeds finds inspiration and creative freedom in Amsterdam’s rich cultural heritage. A suppressed female artist, a controlling uncle who is also a world famous French artist, and…

A message of hope: Bychkov and the RCO play Shostakovich

25 April 2025Music

Anniversaries for various composers come and go, but rarely does a composer’s commemoration seem as poignant as this year’s 50th anniversary of the death of Dmitri Shostakovich. And who better…

Premières aplenty from Mäkelä and RCO

19 April 2025Music

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra confirmed their commitment to curating music for generations to come with two premieres by the French composer, Guillaume Connesson. A warm glow descended the Concertgebouw as…

Euphoric and immersive cinematic experience: Reich/Richter in Amsterdam

13 April 2025Music

Amsterdam really is the place to be. With not one, but two world premieres from Dutch National Opera in their Opera Forward festival a fortnight ago; the world premiere of…

Bruce Liu plays Chopin with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta

29 March 2025Music

The stage was set, complete with tablet stands and obligatory foot-pedal page turners. As the Amsterdam Sinfonietta arrived at the Muziekcentrum, Enschede for a programme entitled “Homesickness for Italy”, all…

A jubilant finale to the Tonhalle’s European tour with Paavo Järvi

25 March 2025Music

Paavo Järvi had a glint in his eye. Now at the end of a European tour taking in Hamburg, Paris, Frankfurt and Cologne, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich were going out with…