• Tuesday, July 27, 2010

  Interview met Ties Mellema in Akkoord Magazine
  Klik hier voor PDF

• Tuesday, June 22, 2010

  Programs 2011-2012 now online. Download PDF flyer here (Dutch only)

• Wednesday, April 21, 2010

  Press release of Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten, Ties Mellema will receive the Netherlands Music Prize.

• Saturday, April 17, 2010

  Fanfare Magazine 16 April 2010: "Baritone sax player Ties Mellema is particularly impressive."

• Saturday, April 03, 2010

  Ties Mellema will receive the prestigious Netherlands Music Prize on November 14th 2010 in Eindhoven, Philips Hall. He will perform Medusa by Otto Ketting and Sequenza VIIb by Luciano Berio.
  The Netherlands Music Prize is the highest award a Dutch musician can receive.

• Tuesday, March 09, 2010

  Concertgebouwreporter.nl posts a short article by Ties Mellema about the classical concert format.
  This article was also published on http://muziek3daagse.nl/

• Sunday, January 31, 2010

  Trouw 30-01-2010, pagina 54
  Saxofoon spelen met één hand
  
  CD | KLASSIEK - Ties Mellema - On the Other Hand - Amstel Records - Als een musicus een lichamelijk ongemak heeft, zal hij dat over het algemeen verbergen. Zo niet saxofonist Ties Mellema, die in 2008 door een ongelukkige val in zijn keuken zijn rechterhand zo blesseerde, dat hij zijn vingers nog nauwelijks kon bewegen of voelen. Mellema (baritonsaxofonist van het Amstel Kwartet en waarschijnlijk de beste baritonsaxofonist die er op dit moment te vinden is) zat niet bij de pakken neer. Hij gaf componisten de opdracht stukken te maken voor de linkerhand. Dat beperkt de toonkeuze aanzienlijk, maar te horen aan de staalkaart aan prachtrepertoire op de tongue in cheek getitelde cd (van Bach tot Dramm) zou Mellema daar nog wel een aantal jaar mee kunnen vullen. De meeste saxofonisten spelen niet met twee handen wat Mellema met eentje doet. Pianist Hans Eijsackers kleurt prachtig en kan om een hoekje luisteren. O ja, intussen gaat het gelukkig weer beter met Mellema’s rechterhand. (AF)

• Friday, January 29, 2010

  News letter January 2009, now online

• Friday, January 08, 2010

  Niels Bijl over Ties Mellema's nieuwe CD:
  
  " Ik heb op de terugweg genoten van je CD. de eerste track is prachtig, ontroerend mooi. Net als Bach, een goed verhaal. De improvisaties (vooral de eerste) sluiten naadloos aan op je persoonlijkheid. Fondse...heerlijk. kort. krachtig... De CD is los van de te verwachten topkwaliteit van beide musici vooral een schitterende time capsule en een positieve motivatie voor iedereen die ooit zoveel shit heeft te verwerken. Je hebt een drama puur op persoonlijkheid veranderd in kunst. Je bent een koning."
  
  Willem van Merwijk over Ties Mellema's nieuwe CD:
  
  " jullie CD! Dat zijn van die meevallers waardoor je er weer een paar jaar tegen kunt....
  Klasse! Ziet er ook fantastisch uit, (mooie liner notes Ties)."
  
  David Dramm over Ties Mellema's nieuwe CD:
  
  "ik ben er erg blij mee met het blokje van Fondse, Manneke, Dramm en jullie mooie improv achteraan. Dat werkt erg goed.
  
  En jouw gevoel voor klankkleur op Hangman is onverbiddelijk muzikaal - alleen al het slot is een juweel."

• Tuesday, January 05, 2010

  Ties Mellema and Hans Eijsackers play during Debussy day organised by Limburg Symph. Orchestra: http://www.limburgssymfonieorkest.nl/concert.asp?datum=16-1-2010

• Friday, December 18, 2009

  Review of Ties Mellema playing Jacob Ter Veldhuis in Chili, dated summer 2007

• Tuesday, December 08, 2009

  Amstel Quartet on WQXR NY radio, Robert Sherman's show

• Sunday, November 29, 2009

  Stentor, The Netherlands
  

  Blazers in de hoofdrol

  vrijdag 27 november 2009 | 06:53

  ZUTPHEN - Het Nationaal Jeugd Fanfare Orkest en Fanfareorkest Kunst Na Arbeid Lunteren geven zondag 6 december een concert in de Zutphense Hanzehof (aanvang 14 uur). Het is een concert in het kader van de Gelderse serie 'Hrfstwnd', waarbij solisten samen met harmonieën, fanfares en brassbands een programma presenteren waarbij blaasinstrumenten de hoofdrol spelen.
  Het Nationaal Jeugd Fanfare Orkest speelt een stuk van Wijnand van Klaveren voor altsaxofoon en fanfare, met een solistische hoofdrol voor saxofonist Ties Mellema. Ook staat het werk 'Flashback' van Jan de Haan op de lessenaar waarmee de componist terugblikt op zijn jonge jaren als trombonist bij het Nationaal Jeugd Korps. Kunst Na Arbeid voert een meer klassiek getint programma op. Het orkest opent met 'Valley of the Pinios' van Kevin Houben. Daarna volgt een bewerking van Prokofjev's balletmuziek bij 'Romeo en Julia' en 'Hymn of the Highlands' van componist Philip Sparke.

• Thursday, November 12, 2009

  On the Other Hand Finally available on this website: click here
  On the Other Hand was recorded in the year following Ties' dramatic accident during which he could not use his right hand. He only played compositions that he could play with one hand. Composers wrote new pieces and Ties played pieces on one and two notes.

• Saturday, September 26, 2009

  Agenda was offline  due to technicalities. Now back onlne until December '09

• Thursday, September 24, 2009

  Concertgebouw survey, Dutch only, fill out here
  CLOSED

• Sunday, September 13, 2009

  Arno Bornkamp over de jongste generatie NL saxofonisten die bij hem studeerden: http://www.trouw.nl

• Monday, August 17, 2009

  An interview with Ties Mellema in On Air (NCRV television) here

• Tuesday, July 21, 2009

  Reserve your tickets for Ties Mellema's concerts at the Amsterdam Grachtenfestival here

• Tuesday, July 21, 2009

  An interview with Ties Mellema in the Grachtenfestival News Paper

• Monday, July 20, 2009

  Grachtenfestival in Echo, Amsterdam newspaper: http://www.echo.nl/ec-zu/uitgaan/lees/890835/russische.muziek.op.grachten/

• Sunday, May 10, 2009

  Excerpt of Ties Mellema's new CD 'On the Other Hand' now on youtube
  Final release in June

• Saturday, April 04, 2009

  Ties Mellema writes an article for NRC Next about Hans Abbing's essay 'Van hoge naar nieuwe kunst"

• Friday, March 13, 2009

  Saúl Maximiliano Cameron Mellema-Izurieta
  Born March 12, 19:58, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam. Click on the picture below for more pictures:
  

• Tuesday, March 03, 2009

  Follow Ties Mellema on Twitter

• Thursday, February 12, 2009

  Ties Mellema investigates if the classical concert needs change: radiokootwijklive.nl

• Friday, January 02, 2009

  Ties Mellema's 10 favourite recordings in 2008, Trouw December 2008 (PDF file, Dutch only)

• Thursday, December 25, 2008

  Ties Mellema explains why the saxophone don't play half of the American in Paris for NedPho tv and more.

• Monday, December 22, 2008

  Ties Mellema in Trouw, an interview looking back to '08 and forward to '09

• Wednesday, December 17, 2008

  The Amsterdam Grachtenfestival wishes you a merry christmas and a happy new year!

• Sunday, December 14, 2008

  Ties' December recitals with Hans Eijsackers are added to the concert registration page

• Monday, December 01, 2008

  Online version of the December 2008 news letter
  
  New videos uploaded, a.o. JacobTV's Tallahatchie Concerto in the video section of this site

• Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  New Videos added in the video section (Grachtenfestival 2008), Ariel by Alexander Comitas

• Tuesday, November 18, 2008

  For those who have used the contact form on this website recenty: Your message did not arrive due to a bug in the system. Please resend. We apologize for any inconvenience.

• Wednesday, October 15, 2008

  Now online, new Youtube videos: David Dramm - Hangman, world premier (followed by an improvisation) and Rossini's Ave Maria su Due Note during the Amsterdam Grachtenfestival, August 23, 2008

• Monday, October 13, 2008

  Programma's '09-'10 nu online

• Wednesday, October 01, 2008

  Online version of the October News Letter

• Wednesday, September 10, 2008

  The Uitmarkt 2008 Concert with Hans Eijsackers is now online, with again, a new free improvisations and the 'On the Other Hand' repertoire by David Dramm, Alexander Comitas, Guillermo Lago, Peter Cornelius.

• Monday, August 25, 2008

  A LIVE registration of the 23-08-2008 'On the Other Hand' (click on 'concert registrations') Concert @ the Amsterdam Grachtenfestival, embedded through MOG.com
  

• Tuesday, August 19, 2008

  Thursday 21 August on Volkskrant TV an interview with Ties Mellema about 'On the Other Hand'. Premier of the concert Saturday 23 August during the Amsterdam Canal Festival

• Monday, August 04, 2008

  Article on Kidsweek.nl (Dutch only)

• Saturday, August 02, 2008

  Interview with Ties Mellema, Volkskrant, 02-08-2008

• Friday, August 01, 2008

  Press release 'On the Other Hand', Grachtenfestival, Amsterdam (Dutch only)

• Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Programme notes for Darius Milhaud's 'La Création du Monde' by Ties Mellema online now. Go to 'on music and saxophone'

• Thursday, July 03, 2008

  Good news: After second opinion at the Medisch Centrum Haaglanden, the polikliniek for dancers and musicians, Dr. MacFarlane was of the opinion that Mellema's hand will be cured in one year, meaning April 2009. himself being a enthusiastic clarinettist and saxophonist claimed that the muscles one misses after an ulnar nerve lesion are not absolutely required for playing the saxophone, except for the spread muscles of the right hand pinky.
  Mellema's ergotherapist detected subtle innervation in some muscles in the right hand two weeks after.

• Tuesday, June 10, 2008

  Please support the Vondelpark Openluchttheater: http://www.openluchttheater.nl/gastenboek.cfm

• Monday, June 02, 2008

  Ties Mellema was a guest in AVRO Radio Opium (Click for broadcast) in May 2008 (Dutch only)

• Saturday, May 31, 2008

  New video's added, the Improvisation at the Thomaskerk on 27-05-08

• Tuesday, May 27, 2008

  The Amsterdam Canal festival announces its new programme for 2008, a.o. Ties Mellema and Hans Eijsackers with 'On the Other Hand'.

• Sunday, May 25, 2008

  Tokafi website reports news about Ties Mellema

• Sunday, May 25, 2008

  Composer Martin Fondse in a 2 hour interview in Cantina. He plays a.o. his own composition 'Roots' performed  by Ties Mellema and Hans Eijsackers in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

• Wednesday, May 21, 2008

  New on www.tiesmellema.nl: Concert registrations, embedded via MOG.com, go to 'about ties mellema'

• Saturday, May 03, 2008

  News letter for Dutch programmers (Dutch language only), May '08: Here

• Friday, May 02, 2008

  News letter April '08, online version

• Thursday, May 01, 2008

  Thomas Open Concert of Ties Mellema and Hans Eijsackers is concert of the week for Radio 4, 4takt, NPS. Today at 12:30, Prinses Irenestraat 36: NS Station Amsterdam Zuid WTC, just a few minute walk or GVB tram 5, metro/tram 50, 51, Connexxion 310

• Monday, April 07, 2008

  Watch on this video how Ties keeps training his hand to keep his motoric cortex in shape while waiting for the neurones to grow back into his hand. Here (Dutch only, no subtitles)

• Sunday, April 06, 2008

  Joan de Ruijter of Schapenwolk made a short film with an interview with Ties Mellema talking about his injury. Watch it here.

• Wednesday, April 02, 2008

  Ties Mellema injured
  

  In a very unfortunate accident, Ties was hurt in an accident. He cut his wrist severing his ulnar nerve, a tendon and an artery. Ties' future is uncertain, he could be up and playing again in some months, but it could not work out at all. Read more

• Sunday, March 02, 2008

  Together with Ties Mellema, Dutch composer Willem Breuker is working on a revision of the Glazounow Concerto for saxophone and string orchestra. Breuker will a.o. write a new Cadenza and revise the rest of the piece. The premier will be in October in Amsterdam,  with conductor/violist Gijs Kramers.

• Sunday, January 20, 2008

  Hans Eijsackers replaces Wijnand Van Klaveren
  Due to injury of Wijnand Van Klaveren, he will be replaced by Hans Eijsackers untill further notice in concerts of Ties Mellema/Wijnand Van Klaveren. Eijsackers and Mellema first performed together on 30 December 2007 in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (broadcast 7 February 2008 at 14:30 Dutch time, on the internet: www.radio4.nl)
  Mellema and Eijsackers will perform van Klaveren newest composition 'Symphonias and Interludes' (Symphonias by Bach) at their upcomgin concerts in May 2008.

• Tuesday, December 04, 2007

  Ties Mellema is on iLike:
   

• Sunday, September 09, 2007

  New article in 'on music and saxophone'; 'Saxophone, blessing or curse?', by Ties Mellema

• Thursday, August 23, 2007

  Rectification: The Uitmarkt 2007 concert by Ties Mellema and Wijnand Van Klaveren is not on Saturday 25, but on Sunday 26 August at the same time (17:30) at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam.

• Friday, August 17, 2007

  Ties Mellema wins first Grachtenfestivalprijs (Canal Festival Prize).
  This prize was awarded for the first time in the Passenger Terminal in Amsterdam. The award is meant for musicians who have played an important role in the festival in the past years.
  Mellema was selected by audience votes from 20 nominees. He wins a concert in the concertseries by the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
  
  This Saturday (18 August) Mellema will play with Thomas Hampson during the Prinsengrachtconcert in Amsterdam on the ponton in front of Hotel Pulitzer.
  
  Dutch version

• Saturday, July 21, 2007

  Ties Mellema is nominated for the Grachtenfestival Prize 2007. The winner is determined by the number of votes on the internet.
  The Grachtenfestival (the Amsterdam Canal Festival) Award is a price for musicians that have played an important role in the Grachtenfestival over the past ten years. These musicians have developed considerable careers over the years and have build up a special connection with the Festival and its audience.
  
  You can vote here: www.grachtenfestival.nl
  

• Saturday, June 16, 2007

  The Thuiskopiefonds decides to support Ties Mellema's newest CD project: 'Roots' with new works by Wijnand Van Klaveren and Martin Fondse, and older work by Johann Sebastian Bach (arr. Van Klaveren) and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Earlier the Maurits Van Kattendijke Stichting also decided to support this project. The presentation of the CD will be on December 30th 2007 in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (Serie Sundaymorning Concerts).

• Monday, June 11, 2007

  The Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds decided to support Ties Mellema's new saxophone out of the Henny de Vries Fonds for Cultural scholarships. The presentation of the scholarship will be on June 28th on 16:00 at Podium Mozaiek in Amsterdam.

• Saturday, May 26, 2007

  Amstel Quartet in Festival Crosslinx, read an article in Tubantia newspaper here (Dutch only)

• Thursday, April 19, 2007

  Amstel Quartet back from their US debut tour
  This 17th of April, the Amstel Quartet gave a phenomenal US debut Recital at Carnegie Hall in New York City , with works by Sweelinck, Glazunov, Torke, Wilson (US premier) and Nyman.
  Within a week, the quartet gave 6 concerts throughout New York City, amongst others at Trinity Church on Wall Street (click here to see the concert as a webcast or download it as a podcast), and at the famous musicbar Barbes in Brooklyn (read review here).
  They gave a multimedia performance with The Public Dance Theater and visuals by Bushwick at Monkeytown, including a world premier by dutch composer Renske Vrolijk, and performed at a benefit evening for Darfur organised by the Clinton Global Initiative , with Robert de Niro, Meryl Streep and Matt Damon on the guestlist. Aziz exlusively designed new costumes for this US tour.
  The quartet will be back in the US in August. Highlights of that tour will include a concert at the well-known festival River to River in New York City.
  Please also visit the website of Concert Artists Guild, the quartet's management based in New York City.

• Thursday, February 01, 2007

  Ties Mellema was admitted to the study trajectory of the Netherlands Music Prize.
  Mellema gets the possibility to follow a study programme with expert advice by the NMP committee about the contents of the programme. This will be financially supported. In this period, Mellema gets the oppurtunity to broaden his musical horizon for example by taking lessons and masterclasses over the whole world, having conversations with international top musicians or by focusing on new possibilities in his own field of expertise.

• Monday, January 15, 2007

  Michael Brecker passed away Saturday. Michaelbrecker.com posted this message: JANUARY 13, 2007 - Following a two and a half year battle with MDS and then leukemia, Michael passed away. A memorial service is now being planned and details regarding the same will be posted here this coming Wednesday or Thursday. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to The Marrow Foundation's TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FUND. Many lives have been saved as a result of those who joined the National Marrow Donor Program at donor drives on behalf of Michael---and who were perfectly matching donors for others in need.  There is much work to do, and we ask you to please join us in this effort.  Thank you for all of your support.

• Sunday, January 07, 2007

  Ties Mellema Management opened a myspace.com page for saxophonist Ties Mellema: http://myspace.com/tiesmellema. Here you can download mp3's from his latest Cd's and read more about Ties Mellema and his music.

• Sunday, December 24, 2006

  Ties Mellema Management opened a Youtube page which contains fragments of Ties Mellema playing, a.o. during the annual AVRO Prinsengrachtconcert en VPRO's Vrije geluiden. Please click here to check out.

• Wednesday, December 06, 2006

  New pictures of Ties Mellema on Flickr.com: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansspeekenbrink/262210271/

• Monday, October 30, 2006

  Amsterdam - The Amstel Quartet and Ties Mellema/Wijnand Van Klaveren played a succesful half recital in the 'Young Dutchmen' series in the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on October 28th.
  The whole concert will compete against the other 'Young Dutchmen' in the series for the Mees Pierson Award (€10.000,-). The others are: Tjeerd Top (violin), Lavinia Meijer (harp)and Thomas Oliemans (baritone), Matthijs van de Woerd (baritone). The winners will be announced on June 3rd 2007 in the Concertgebouw.

• Sunday, October 01, 2006

  A review in Friesch Dagblad in September of Mellema and van Klaveren's concert in Museum Belvedere: "two very talented musicians', "passion and drive flowed from all sides. The technique was completely subordinate to the work that was played. There was no obstacle to bring the musical content to the audience and to let them enjoy the music as much as the musicans.", "beautiful classical saxophone tone", "great unity in ensemble playing and the colouring of the movements according to their content. Here played together two incredible musical talents that understand each other flawlessly"," The fierce emotion combined with lyricism were excellently demonstrated with all subtle dynamic nuances.". (25-9-06, Friesch Dagblad)

• Friday, September 15, 2006

  The first review (Dutch only) of Grab it! in de Leeuwarder Courant: "He is no talent anymore but a grandmaster, for whom the saxophone has no secrets anymore."

• Tuesday, August 22, 2006

  'Grab it!', Mellema's new solo CD was presented during the Grachtenfestival 2006 in the spectacular panoramic IJtoren in Amsterdam. You can order it here.

• Sunday, August 20, 2006

  During the opening of the 2006 Grachtenfestival edition, Mellema was a soloist in Philip Glass' Melodies with the New Cool Collective, Holland hippest big band in the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ.

• Saturday, August 05, 2006

  Ties Mellema's gives an inside look at his personal musical preference (Dutch only) in the Parool. See 'press' for the article.

• Saturday, July 15, 2006

  Ties Mellema was appointed professor of saxophone at both the Artez and Fontys conservatories.

• Friday, June 30, 2006

  The Amstel Quartet came back from a succesful series of concerts in Russia. The ensemble made their debut as soloists in Tristan Keuris' Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Nizhny Novgorod.

• Monday, May 01, 2006

  August 12th Ties Mellema will be a soloist with the New Cool Collective in Philip Glass' Melodies during the opening of the Grachtenfestival in the Muziekgeboouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam. On the 18th he will present his new CD, 'Grab it!' at 16:00 in the IJtoren next to the Muziekgebouw. www.grachtenfestival.nl

• Monday, May 01, 2006

  An excellent review (Dutch only) in Luister of Mellema and Van Klaveren's Cd, DUO's, available in the webshop. 'But above all are the interpretative and musical qualities of Mellema and Van Klaveren' (for the article, please go to 'press')

• Sunday, April 30, 2006

  The ASQ was winner of the 2006 CAG Competition in New York. They also won the audience award. The prize includes a management contract in the US.

• Saturday, April 01, 2006

  For Dutch readers who have been trying to order a CD: De webwinkel was tijdelijk uitgeschakeld. Onze excuses, probeert u aub uw bestelling wederom te plaatsen.

• Wednesday, February 15, 2006

  Ties Mellema is profoessor of Saxophone at the Artez Conservatory. Open lessons on March 16th at 14:30 in Arnhem. Auditions are May 29th.

• Monday, January 30, 2006

  The production of Ties Mellema's new CD 'Grab it' has begun. The sound of the saxophone has been mixed. The approach is a combination between a classical and pop recording style

• Sunday, January 15, 2006

  On January 23rd Mellema gave his first concert in which he himself integrated live electronics in his playing with Eduardo Marturet's Canto Llano. Since 2004 he has formed a duo with electonic musician Ivo Bol. Who has created several pieces for them.

• Tuesday, January 10, 2006

  Programs 2006-2007 are online now: check out www.amsterdammm.nl.

• Thursday, December 15, 2005

  An excellent review (Dutch only) in Luister of Mellema and Van Klaveren's Cd, DUO's, available in the webshop. 'But above all are the interpretative and musical qualities of Mellema and Van Klaveren'

• Saturday, December 10, 2005

  Ties Mellema will be teaching saxophone at the Conservatory of Arnhem for the rest of the season to replace Nicole Schillings.

• Thursday, December 01, 2005

  The ASQ in Vrije Geluiden, VPRO national television, 4 December, 11:00, NL3

• Sunday, November 20, 2005

  On November 17th and 18th Ties Mellema recorded the largest part of his new solo cd. On November 30th he will record the last part in the Hervormde Kerk in Rhoon, the Netherlands. Release is planned for spring 2006.

• Thursday, October 20, 2005

  The ASQ released their new CD "1 Gram of Time" in the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. You can order the CD through www.amstel4tet.nl or here. On the CD are works by Dufourt, Kerger, Twaalfhoven, Simons, Xenakis, Donatoni, Wilson and Keuris....

• Sunday, May 15, 2005

  Ties Mellema will record his new solo CD on November 17th and 18th 2005. Works by Ter Veldhuis, Turnage, Lauba and Glass. Release is planned for spring 2006.

• Sunday, May 01, 2005

  NEW: The AMM Electro Acoustic Sessions PODCAST: copy/paste this link into your podgrabber/iTunes (download iTunes here): http://feeds.feedburner.com/AMMelectro

• Friday, April 01, 2005

  Vrij Nederland, a national opinion magazine, writes about the CD "DUOS for Saxophone and Piano": "a wonderful CD", "Lots of virtuosity and flexibilty". (obtainable throug the webshop, Amstel Records)

• Wednesday, March 30, 2005

  Recent Amstel Saxophone Quartet prizes: Second prize at the 34th Gaudeamus Interpreters competition; The adult jury and youth jury first prizes at the 14th International Chamber Music Competition in France, Illzach on 13 March 2003

• Thursday, February 10, 2005

  Read the interview that Selmer the Netherlands had with Ties Mellema in their magazine 2004/2005 here. (check 'press' for this article)

• Sunday, January 16, 2005

  The Amstel Saxophone Quartet released their third CD: 'Baltica' on January 15th in Amsterdam, in the Bethanienklooster for a full house! Visit the ASQ website or click here to order this CD.

• Monday, January 10, 2005

  The Amstel Saxophone Quartet won the famous Kersjes van de Groenekan award, which consists of E50.000,- to be spend on further development of the quartet. The award ceremony is postponed to March 2005 due to the passing away of Anton Kersjes.

• Monday, November 01, 2004

  The Amstel Saxophone Quartet won the famous Kersjes van de Groenekan award, which consists of E50.000,- to be spend on further development of the quartet. The award ceremony will be on december 2nd 2004 in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

• Friday, September 10, 2004

  A posthumous review on the first cd of the Amstel Saxophone Quartet in the Saxophone Journal of September/October 2004 'straight lines': 'Everything about this CD is superb.' Read the entire review here. (for review, please go to 'press', or visit www.amstelquartet.nl)

• Wednesday, September 01, 2004

  Friday 24 September at 21:08 on AVRO-television: registration of the Support Act of the Prinsengrachtconcert 2004 with o.a. Ties Mellema and Wijnand van Klaveren and the Romeo String Quartet.

• Monday, August 30, 2004

  The Amstel Saxophone Quartet was winner of the Uitmarkt 2004 Audience Prize in August. The audience had the oppurtunity to vote for the ensembles they liked best. Among the other ensembles were: Kaida Trio, Jenufa Quartet, Prinse Quartet, Farkas Quintet.

• Monday, August 30, 2004

  Ties Mellema was named 'Leader of the new generation of saxophonists in the Netherlands' by the AVRO national tv and radio.

• Saturday, July 10, 2004

  Besides the new cd of the Amstel Saxophone Quartet, Ties Mellema and Wijnand van Klaveren will release a new cd, called DUOS, on August 12th of this year. This cd contains works by van Klaveren, Ravel, Poulenc, Debussy, Creston. Both cd's can be ordered here.

• Sunday, July 04, 2004

  Ties Mellema and Wijnand van Klaveren will play the support act of the famous Prinsengrachtconcert in Amsterdam together with the Romeo Kwartet, Hanna Shybayeva, piano, Rick Stotijn, double-bass, Miriam Overlach, harp on August 21st 2004.

• Thursday, July 01, 2004

  Read the latest wonderfull review about the newest cd of the Amstel Saxophone Quartet: 'Amstel Tracks' here. (German only) CD's are available here. (for these articles please go to 'press')

• Thursday, July 01, 2004

  In June 2004 Ties Mellema gave two solorecitals, some workshops and cooporated in two dance performances in Caracas, Venezuela that all were recieved and visited very well. Mellema was invited to participate in the Festival de Musica Latina Americana in November of this year.

• Tuesday, June 01, 2004

  Ties Mellema will travel to Venezuela in June and July 2004 to perform there with the Dance group MAAM Arts Project during the XX Festival de Jóvenes Coreógrafos. He will also give a public solo recital followed by a workshop in contemporary saxophone at the Simón Bolivar Universidad. Check here also

• Friday, April 30, 2004

  On 29 April Ties Mellema played the Tallahatchie Concerto by Dutch composer Jacob ter Veldhuis with the National Youth Orchestra 'Simon Bolivar' of Venezuela, conducted by the young and talented Gustavo Dudamel.
  The Venezuelan youth orchestra system is one of a kind and to 300.000 young Venezuelans it offers the possibility to learn to play an instrument and play in a youth orchestra, all funded by the same system.
  Mellema was invited by the Dutch embassy (www.embholanda.org.ve) in Venezuela to perform as a soloist during a concert to celebrate the birthday of the Dutch queen in the beautiful Teresa Carenho Theatre in Caracas.
  Mellema also gave concerts and workshops together with electronic music composer Ivo Bol, a.o. at the Simon Bolivar University and the National Arts Galery.

• Friday, April 16, 2004

  New CD Amstel Saxophone Quartet:
  Amstel's new CD 'amstel tracks' was released on Friday 16 april 2004 at the Bethanienklooster in Amsterdam. A huge crowd showed up and people had to be denied access at the door, because the hall was full. 'amstel tracks' CD's are available starting now through here.

• Thursday, April 01, 2004

  April 24th Ties Mellema will be a soloist with the Holland Symfonia Orchestra in de Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam.

• Thursday, April 01, 2004

  The Amstel Saxophone Quartet is selected for the Finale of the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition in Yellow Springs, Ohio on May 2nd, 2004

• Thursday, April 01, 2004

  Listen here to Ties Mellema playing the world premier of the Autumn Concerto by Katarzyna Glowicka, with the Holland Symfonia and conductor Hans Leenders.

• Friday, March 19, 2004

  MTV is now broadcasting the MTV Fusion 'chunk' on Ties Mellema, filmed during the MTV Fusion night, when the Amsterdam Concertgebouw was restyled as a club. Ties Mellema played together with DJ Laid Back Luke in front of a dancing crowd. For a compilation of the whole evening check out MTV Holland: Friday, 19 March, 22:00-23:00 uur, reruns on 21 March, 18:00-19:00 and 23 March, 22:00-23:00.

• Sunday, March 14, 2004

  Ties Mellema won the prestigious Vriendenkrans Award on 13 March 2004 during the annual competition organized by the Friends of the Concertgebouw and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. He also won the audience prize, the press prize, the Concertgebouw Prize and a scholarship given by the Maurits van Kattendijke foundation.

• Monday, March 01, 2004

  (February/March 2004) LAST CHANCE: The last rerun of the MTV Fusion night, when the Amsterdam Concertgebouw was restyled as a club will be broadcasted on 23 March, 22:00-23:00 (MTV Holland).

• Monday, December 01, 2003

  Ties Mellema was selected as a soloist to make a tour through the Netherlands in 2005 for the prestigious chamber music series 'Het Debuut' with pianist Wijnand van Klaveren and violist Suzanne Dijkstra

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