Seven-part composition “Exceptional in this World”

In 2026, under the baton of conductor Nathan Tax, we will be working on the new composition ‘Exceptional in this World’ by composer Joost Kleppe. On the night of 31 March to 1 April, we gave a preview at the town hall as part of the celebrations marking 25 years since same-sex marriage was legalised. In June, we performed the piece in its entirety for the first time at the international choral festival Various Voices in Brussels and received a glowing review in the NRC. On 3 August, we performed the piece during World Pride at the Concertgebouw, and there will be a few more performances in October. Read more about this unique project here.

To do this composition justice, we are having it performed by professional live musicians. It is precisely the combination of choir, cello, oboe and accordion that gives the work its power, colour and emotional impact. That is why we launched a crowdfunding campaign on  Voordekunst, which has more than reached its target thanks to 129 generous donors.