Music across dividing lines – Merlijn Twaalfhoven
How can music be a connecting force, bringing people from different tribes together? In this lecture, Merlijn Twaalfhoven, composer and designer of innovative choral projects, gives examples of music projects that break down polarisation and create new, shared narratives.
As a composer, Merlijn creates music in conflict areas, refugee camps and other unusual places. Working with artists, scientists, diplomats, and other idealists in unconventional and creative ways, he seeks beauty, experiment and change. He received a UNESCO award for his work on musical projects that transcend borders, for instance in the highly divided capitol of Cyprus, or between Jerusalem and the Palestinian West Bank.
In the lecture, Merlijn talks about how three important aspects of music can become an important, connecting force: the awakening of our senses, the art of gathering meaning and the creation of new, uniting narratives.
Merlijn also hosts a workshop on refining your inner artistic compass: how do you bring what you do best into what matters most?
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