With the tumultuous American politics making headlines daily, today we offer you a different perspective on American culture: its classical music.

Diversity is at the heart of American music’s success. Appalachian folk music (rooted in Irish immigration), West African music brought by enslaved people, European military music, and the jazz that emerged from this mix formed the foundation of American music in the 19th century. Composers such as Ives, Gershwin, Barber, and Copland blended these elements with the structure of European classical music, creating a new style of symphonic music with a distinctly American sound. In Hollywood, this music evolved under the influence of exiled Viennese composers into the ultimate programmatic music: film scores. John Williams is the most famous contemporary exponent of this tradition. Today, Filharmonie Der Aa presents a selection of American classical music.

Pianist and multiple award-winner Ramon van Engelenhoven is once again collaborating this season with Filharmonie Der Aa, an ambitious symphony orchestra from Groningen with 80 members (advanced amateur musicians and a few professionals). The orchestra is conducted by Jacob Slagter, former solo hornist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.