Joey Roukens (born in Schiedam, 28 March 1982) is a Dutch composer of contemporary classical music.

Joey Roukens in 2020

Roukens studied composition with Klaas de Vries[1] at Codarts University for the Arts and psychology at Leiden University. Roukens also studied piano privately with Ton Hartsuiker. His works have been performed by, among others, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Asko/Schönberg, the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam, Colin Currie and Lucas and Arthur Jussen. His output includes orchestral works, ensemble works, chamber music, solo instrumental works and opera and ballet music. Notable works include the double piano concerto In Unison (2017), the Fourth String Quartet What Remains (2019), the ballet Dorian (2020, rev. 2022), the Symphony No.1 'Kaleidoscopic' (2021) and a Requiem for mixed choir, percussion and strings (2022).

In his music Roukens strives to move away from modernist dogmas in search for a more direct and eclectic idiom in which present and past, tonality and atonality, classical and non-classical influences can coexist in a natural way. In doing so, he tries to be open to as many different kinds and styles of music as possible, whether it be new styles or old styles, high culture or vernacular culture, ‘serious’ or popular music, western music or non-western music.[1][2] For a long time, Roukens has also been active in pop music.

References

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  1. ^ a b Grijp, Louis (2006). "IJkjaar 2000". Een muziekgeschiedenis der Nederlanden: een vervolg, 2000-2005. Amsterdam University Press. p. 920. ISBN 978-90-5356-903-0. Een ander jeugdig talent is Joey Roukens (Schiedam, 1982), leerling van Klaas de Vries. Roukens' combinatie van een veelheid van oude en nieuwe, westerse en oosterse stijlen, waaronder popmuziek, en een open mind voor multimediale presentatie, is typisch voor zijn generatie.
  2. ^ Wennekes, Emile (2003). "Rotterdamse Muziek: idioom of ideaal?". Ons Erfdeel (1): 112. Onder hen de talentvolle Joey Roukens die in zijn muziek even eenvoudig tegen Bach als tegen popmuziek aanschurkt.
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