Saraswati

Jan van der Plas received a contribution to develop a new album with Kris van der Plas.

In the music of the duo Saraswati, the Indonesian background of brothers Jan and Kris is central. Their musical practice focuses on connecting the musical worlds of Indonesia and Europe. For them, the combination of the two cultures is a means of using music to bring different people and cultures together. In a world where people are increasingly inclined to think in differences and distinctions, the duo embraces their differences precisely because that is what defines them.

The album showcases different facets of Indonesian music combined with works inspired by gamelan. By focusing on Indonesian music, the duo also explores a new perspective on 20th-century European works such as Benjamin Britten's sonata and George Crumb's solo sonata. With this album, the duo aims to bring together people from different backgrounds and particularly appeal to those with a cultural connection to Indonesia.