Biography
Composer / visual artist Paul Frankhuijzen, born in 1956 in the Netherlands.
Has studied the following subjects:
Analogue Studio Technique with J.Vink and Sound Signal Processing and Psychoacoustics with drs S.Tempelaars at The Institute for Sonology in Utrecht. Composition with Daan Manneke and Alexandru Hrisanide, at the Brabant Conservatory, which he concluded with success in 1995. He attended many workshops and lectures, with among others Louis Andriessen, Theo Loevendie, Tristan Keuris, Luciano Berio, György Kurtág and Rebecca Stewart.
Ensemble Directing with Martien van Woerkum. Orchestra directing with Jac. van Steen (as practice teacher). Two years of singing lessons in Early Vocal Music.
Paul is also inspired by early music.
For example: the chamber-opera Peripteron, composed for November music festival. It is a experience with old mythical layers connected with contemporary thoughts. The Sumerian Hymn (800 v.c.) and the Homeric Hymns are important elements in this piece.
For Schola Cantorium he composed ‘Romancero’ commissioned by dr. Rebecca Stewart. The lyric is a large collection of the Spanish period of approx. 1040 up to the 17th century.
His music has as inspiration a blend of cultures.
‘Johakyû’, compose for Tomoko Mukaiyama (piano, voice) and Monica Germino (violin), he make use of old lyrics as philosophical elements from the Japanese NÔ theater.
For the Mondriaan string quartet he composing 'The Office Tiger'. It’s has two influence the India culture as well western culture.
Paul is intrigued to work with different disciplines and to corporate those in the composing process.
History (the time before) and his progress and the present, are among the conscious elements and play a major role in the process of being and not being in his work. Thereby the main theme is not confrontation, on the contrary, it is the inspiration. This is especially evident in his visual art work.
Various elements are present at the same time, the soundtrack and the image form one interplay. It is show by means of video, but Frankhuijzen sees it more as a living painting, with its timeless connections.
For example in;
'Rebirth', a poetry of chance and change', as an inspiration that took place before and during the covid-19 period.
There was a standstill and the inaudible became, as it were, audible. The elements here include a cornfield with its horizon of ambient sound and the music with its romantic feelings of storm and urgency. The present chair(s') gives the question, who will sit on it to reconnect the organism?
The video installation 'Behind the Mountains' The changing nature of the mountainous area. Signal of hope and walk. Fantasy gives hope and offers perspective. Walking means getting moving.
Paul has made special program’s for: Van Abbemuseum, Museum de Pont and November music festival . Together with Judith Leysner and the Sandberg Institute, the movie installation 'Mouvement'.
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For the mime group van Steen he composed ‘Fantasia’. The performans took place at the museums Beelden aan Zee and Cobra.
Frankhuijzen has worked together with leading performers such as: Mondriaan quartet, Monica Germino /Tomoko Mukayama, Ensemble Quink vocal,
Aart Strootman, Fie Schouten, Goska Isphording, Quartuor Axone, The Roentgen Connection. Marc Versteeg, Bernard Touwen, Fokko Oldenhuis.