Music at the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum collection boasts no fewer than 500 historical musical instruments, and music plays a symbolic or other role in many of our visual art objects. Artists and musicians alike are influenced by the times in which they live – or themselves exert influence on their times. Music can also bring new ways of experiencing the visual arts, creating connections with new target groups. For these reasons the Rijksmuseum works with committed partners to develop and run our musical programming.
MUSIC AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM
The Friends’ Lottery (VriendenLoterij) has been annually donating a sum of money to the Rijksmuseum since 1998, for the acquisition of new artworks. The Lottery also frequently provides project-based funding for other initiatives, such as Music at the Rijksmuseum, a wide-ranging, music-based public programme connecting with the museum’s collection. From 2017 to 2021 we held various events and activities under this name, including classical and pop concerts, dance events, live historical music, performances in the Rijksmuseum Gardens, and a musical multimedia tour. The Music at the Rijksmuseum project offers a wide-ranging music programme to a broad audience, extending horizons and enhancing visitors’ experiences of the museum.
‘We are incredibly happy that the Friends’ Lottery believes in our dreams. Music, like the Rijksmuseum itself, belongs to everybody and connects people with art and history. We hope that our music events delight our audiences and broaden their perspectives.’
Taco Dibbits, Director of the Rijksmuseum
Music events held at the Rijksmuseum since 2017 include concerts by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Jacqueline Govaert in the Gallery of Honour, a show by Nick & Simon and Willem in the Rijksmuseum Passage, and Bob van Asperen’s performance on a unique harpsichord from the Rijksmuseum collection during the All the Rembrandts exhibition.
RIJKSMUSEUM SOUNDTRACKS
The Rijksmuseum developed the Rijksmuseum Soundtracks project in 2021 with support from the VandenEnde Foundation. This was the first step in our ambition to incorporate experimental approaches in our regular educational offer. It saw the introduction of musical multimedia tours of the collection. Each one was curated by a different young DJ to offer the visiting public a new experience of visual art. The project presented art to visitors in non-traditional ways, with a particular focus on young adults. Rijksmuseum Soundtracks concluded with a new composition by DJ upsammy, which she produced for the exhibition Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen at Rijksmuseum. Additionally, the opening event of the 2023 edition of Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) was a performance by upsammy and percussionist Valentina Magaletti in the Rijksmuseum Passage.