HearAndNow is dedicated to combining masterpieces from the past with the music of today. Each year, the focus is on an innovative composer from the 20th century.

The first edition had a different name: the Salon Concerts, held in the intimate setting of the Vondelkerk in Amsterdam. Because Béla Bartók was the focus of this edition, it was called the Bartók Salon. In these salon concerts, we collaborated with contemporary composers such as Jon Rose and Willem Wander van Nieuwkerk, and the musicians sought to make Bartók’s music more accessible by drawing connections to contemporary music.

The second edition focused on Arnold Schönberg, and by then the series had evolved into a festival: the HearAndNow Chamber Music Festival. The following edition offered an interesting look at an innovator who, at first glance, remained more faithful to the classical tradition, yet still pushed its boundaries: Richard Strauss. Compared to Bartók and Schönberg, the audience found his music more accessible. Yet he, too, brought innovation to the development of music that inspired many composers who came after him. These connections piqued the audience’s curiosity.