When compositionstudent Jasper de Bock saw a tip by teacher Yannis Kyriakides about the Future Symphony Competition for which you not just can send in a piece for orchestra but also use a voice actor, he didn't have to think twice.

The piece that he send in was ‘ Was auch geschieht?’. Here you can listen to a recording of the piece.

Future Symphony Competition is a project in Baltic States, dedicated for youth composition talents from all around the world. Founded by new generation Lithuanian composers, conductors, and musicians, the Competition strives for the evolution of the symphonic tradition. Organizers aim to accumulate the contemporary music life in Lithuania as well as to create an attractive opportunity for young composers to hear their compositions performed live at the most prestigious Lithuanian stage – Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society in Vilnius.

Jasper came home from Vilnius with both the The Grand prix and the Future Symphony Orchestra Sympathy Prize. The prize consists of €1500,- euro and his piece will be performed again by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.

Jasper: ‘For my piece I used the poem Mein Vogel by Ingeborg Bachmann. It is about the insecurity of language, but underlying themes are madness and despair. Afte a long and wild introduction by the orchestra the voice actor invades the stages with a calmly read version of the poem. This slowly evolves in just the questions being repeated Was auch geschieht? and Wenn ich?, at last even the words are split up in single sounds, but as a listener you mainly see someone falling into complete despair. The piece was performed really well, and the voice actor was amazing!

Normally I don't really find it a big deal to see my own music performed live. I already have a clear image of what it will sound like in my head, and usually I just discover some small new things. But this time it was very magical, I couldn't really picture the effect of the voice so well. It turned out more beautiful than I could've ever imagined.'