With his new Concerto for trombone and orchestra, composer Frederik Neyrinck (b. 1985) adds a work to the contemporary repertoire. On the occasion of its world premiere at the Antwerp Spring Festival on Thursday, April 23 (","), he spoke with Werner De Smet for Klassiek Centraal about his musical language, his working methods, and the role of the trombone within this new work, which unfolds as both a personal and experimental journey. The fact that he played trombone himself in his youth provides important nourishment for his affinity with the instrument. As a young musician, he learned through brass band and big band what ensemble playing means, an experience that greatly broadened his musical horizons. At the same time, his practice consciously moves between diverse domains: from solo to chamber music and orchestra, and from collaborations with other artists to projects that draw from existing repertoire, with experiences in music theater and opera as well.https://www.antwerpspringfestival.be/programma/the-planetsA musical language in motion
Frederik Neyrinck describes himself as a composer who moves between different ensembles and consciously chooses versatility. He enjoys engaging in dialogue with other artists and views his compositions as a kind of tree with branches, "whose branches sometimes touch to create new directions." This way of thinking aligns with his vision of music as a continuously evolving organism, in which parameters such as pitch, rhythm, timbre, and dynamics gradually evolve without abrupt breaks.
He consciously avoids identical repetition. Instead, he works with what he calls "transformed repetition," an approach he encountered during analysis lessons with Jan Van Landeghem, among others through the work of Karel Goeyvaerts and the concept of "evolutionary repetitiveness." This way of working forms, even when not explicitly audible, an underlying layer in his thinking and writing.
His time in Austria represented an important deepening, both musically and in his understanding of how the cultural sector operates. At the same time, his foundations lie in his youth in Wevelgem, where he was active in the brass band Eigen Schoon and later in a big band; those experiences continue to resonate in his practice as a performer. Within the Platynus Ensemble, of which he was part as a pianist until 2018, he was able to develop further through close involvement in the creation of new work. In that context, his understanding of the relationship between composer and performer grew, with attention to notation and practical feasibility, but also to the physical character of music: breathing, phrasing, and physicality, which also play a role during composition.
Sound, space, and the trombone
That physical and tangible aspect comes strongly to the fore in his work for trombone. The instrument allows him to slide pitches through glissandi and manipulate timbre with mutes, while working with tone centers that gradually shift and thus create movement.
He wrote the concerto for trombonist Bram Fournier, with whom he works closely within I SOLISTI. The work is explicitly tailored to the soloist. During composition, he continuously kept the musician's sound and playing style in mind, so the concerto is in a sense written for this specific performer.
The solo part is virtuosic and demanding, with passages that balance on the edge of feasibility and are also physically taxing. The length of the through-composed work and the use of the high register make the piece an endurance test as well. At the same time, technical elements such as mutes, including a wah-wah mute with written-out hand movements, play an important role in the sound palette.
A central role is played by the relationship between soloist, orchestra, and space, which Neyrinck describes as the "physiognomy" of the ensemble: the way instruments relate to each other and to the space. In the concerto, two trombones are placed in the hall, so the audience finds itself in the middle of the sound field and sounds seem to come from different directions. This creates a tension between intimate spatial moments and more frontal orchestral passages. The three trombones function as voices that communicate with each other in the space and flow into one another within a through-composed whole, without breaks between separate sections.
Inspiration and structural thinking
An important source of inspiration for the work is the okapi, which is not used as a narrative device but as a sonic and structural point of departure. The so-called "okapi calls" refer to low frequencies and are translated into, among other things, passages in the deep register, in which the sound of the trombones becomes almost physically palpable. This manifests itself, for example, in the use of very low pedal tones, which refer to frequencies that are barely audible to humans.
At the same time, Neyrinck uses characteristics of the animal to shape the overall structure of the work without imposing a narrative or scientific framework. He also draws inspiration from visual art, particularly the work of Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, and from Igor Stravinsky, who was able to maintain a distinctive voice within different styles.
The compositional process typically starts with a sketch that serves as a guide but is continuously adjusted and refined during the writing process. Neyrinck writes everything by hand and then works out the score on computer to finish it. The work often emerges in dialogue with performers, with an initial idea taking further shape through conversations and ideas. He remains in contact with the soloist during the process, which helps determine how the work evolves.
Doubt plays a role, as does the importance of material that ultimately disappears. That material can open new directions and thus contribute to the further development of the work. Even when the writing process is difficult, he continues to work consciously, even on material that is later discarded, because this yields new insights.
New music as movement
For Frederik Neyrinck, the listener must be able to approach the work freely. The okapi can offer a way in, but it doesn't prescribe anything. He emphasizes that everyone listens differently and that there is no right or wrong interpretation. The abstract nature of instrumental music leaves room for personal interpretation, and that openness is part of his musical language.
For Frederik Neyrinck, the listener must be free to approach the work on their own terms. The okapi can offer a starting point, but it doesn't prescribe anything. He emphasizes that everyone listens differently and there's no right or wrong interpretation. The abstract nature of instrumental music leaves room for personal meaning, and that openness is part of his musical language.
He sees new music as a necessary part of a living musical fabric, in which creation keeps the repertoire in motion. Labels and categories matter less to him than the simple fact that music exists and sounds. He doesn't view the tension between tradition and innovation as a driving force, but rather as something that others choose to engage with.
For him, composing is not an endpoint, but an ongoing process. He emphasizes the present: music must have meaning today and contribute to the musical field, rather than aiming for lasting recognition in the long term.
Looking Ahead
With the world premiere on the horizon, Frederik Neyrinck looks forward to the first performance and rehearsals, which he sees as a phase in which the work continues to develop. Working with conductor Martijn Dendievel and the performers, further adjustments will be made, while clear notation leaves room for interpretation. According to him, the first performance will yield new insights, bringing both confirmations and surprises.
In his view, festivals provide an important context for new music, giving audiences the chance to immerse themselves in various works in a short span of time. Within the programming, he also sees a visual dimension, where titles and associations can stimulate the listener's imagination. Beyond this work, he looks forward to other projects, including Adem De Stad with I SOLISTI. What continues to drive him is the search for new sonic worlds and collaborations.
For Neyrinck, composing remains a movement – a process in which music continually develops and takes shape in the encounter between composer, performer, and listener.
Klassiek Centraal is already looking forward to the world premiere of his Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra and will report on it. Those who would like to get a taste of some of his other works can find them here: https://soundcloud.com/frederik-neyrinck and https://opand.spotify.com/artist/1OksC50mLm7lB2q3kCt4GV?si=j1bWaEJLS0yzl1pkRbMJEA&nd=1&dlsi=344d1370a3f040c3
