| Bas Duister – Trumpet Ferdi Seelbach – Trumpet Harry Stens – Horn Alejandro Luque Belmonte – Trombone Stefan Knuijt – Tuba |
One of the most beautiful parts of Rotterdam is the picturesque neighbourhood of historical Delfshaven. It is no coincidence that the talented musicians of “Pelgrim Brass” met here, in this area associated with the Pilgrim Fathers, where there is no shortage of all kinds of inspiration. It is also here that the brass quintet discovered a new way to create concert programmes and to write and arrange their own music. The group has been playing together since 2013, and from the start there was that all-important musical chemistry. Since then, there have been concerts with organ, a “fairy tale” of their own, and performances at various festivals. In 2015 the group started to explore the history of the Pilgrim Fathers. A diary of one of the Pilgrims, and Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony became the theme for the “Pilgrim Expedition” played at the prestigious Grachtenfestival in Amsterdam in August that year. The ensemble focuses on compiling and playing unique programmes, and loves joining forces with other artists in sometimes unexpected combinations like playing solo as quintet with a wind orchestra. This, in part, explains why the group is at home in many styles and genres. For example the group played with the ‘Paradiso Orchestra’ a concert called Top24 of all times. This concert contained not only the classical pieces by Mahler and Bach, but also The Beatles and Rage Against the Machine. Their cooperation with the organist Gerard van der Zijden dates from the Autumn of 2014 which they recorded their first CD with, called ‘Organic Brass’. A disc full of new arrangements made by the musicians and the music goes as a time machine through many styles. Later the quintet also recorded a Christmas cd named: ‘Merry ChristBrass’. Both the CD’s are regularly heared on dutch radio stations.