Boris Bezemer

Boris Bezemer’s music strikes an expressive balance between structure and chance. Growing up biking through the rainy forests of Gelderland, Boris played guitar, programmed computers, and dreamed of being an inventor.

Now based in Amsterdam, Bezemer composes music for orchestras, soloists, ensembles, electronics and opera. Weaving different forms of improvisation into the fabric of composed scores, Bezemer creates music to answer the desire for the unknown: that element of strangeness so essential to romance.

Known to integrate elements from various musical styles, Bezemer creates magical environments where scattered voices come together and multitudes flow all at the same time, in a comforting kind of turbulence.

Education

2015–17MMus Composition, Conservatorium van Amsterdam (CvA), The Netherlands
2010–15BMus Composition and Music Technology, Utrecht University of the Arts (HKU), The Netherlands
2014Exchange, Centre for Research in New Music (CeReNeM), University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom
2013Exchange, Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje (UKIM), Macedonia

Residencies

2025Yamaha Disklavier Residency, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021Organ & Plastics, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020Bijloke Summer Academy, LOD music theatre, De Bijloke, Ghent, Belgium
2020Chain Composition, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019Phonetic Stories, Asko Schönberg and De Tekstsmederij, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017Voix Nouvelles, Abbey of Royaumont, France
2015Composer in Residence, Conlon Foundation, Muziekhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2014Summer Media Studio, collaboration platform, Neringa, Lithuania
2013Summer Media Studio, collaboration platform, Neringa, Lithuania

Workshops

2023Let’s Play, clown workshop led by An Valenteyn, Antwerp, Belgium
2018Impuls Academy, composition workshop, Graz, Austria
2017ManiFeste, orchestra workshop, Paris, France

Grants and Awards

2025Honorable Mention, Da_sh editions International Composition Competition, Madrid, Spain
2022Werkbijdrage Muziekauteur, Performing Arts Fund NL, The Netherlands
2020Werkbijdrage Muziekauteur, Performing Arts Fund NL, The Netherlands
2015HKU Award for Best Artistic Achievement, Utrecht University of the Arts (HKU), Utrecht, The Netherlands
2013Best Composer Award, Summer Media Studio, Nida, Lithuania

Collaborative

2018–21 Co-host of radio show with Luke Deane, Stranded FM, Gaudeamus
2018–19 Electronic music assistant, Thirty Situations, Joël Bons
2016–nowMember of Conlon Collective, formerly known as the Conlon Foundation, www.conlon.nl
2012–19 Co-founder, VONK, www.borisbezemer.nl/vonk

Publicity

2023Zes jonge Nederlandse componisten om in de gaten te houden, article by Merlijn Kerkhof, de Volkskrant, www.volkskrant.nl
2023Avondconcert: nieuwjaarsspecial, interview by Wouter Pleijsier and performance of Toonzetting by Agostinho Sequeira, Arjan Jongsma, Ramon van Engelenhoven & Shane van Neerden, NPO Radio 4, www.nporadio4.nl
2022Podium: EarBites, interview by Dieuwertje Blok and performance of Harp Piece by Michela Amici, NPO Radio 4, www.nporadio4.nl
2021November Music 2021: met James Oesi en Juho Myllylä, interview by Aad van Nieuwkerk, VPRO, www.vpro.nl
2020Coronaproof Figaro overtuigt bij DNO, article by Peter Franken, Place de l’Opera, www.operamagazine.nl
2020Componist Boris Bezemer over zijn OFFspring-opera, article by Laura Roling, Nationale Opera & Ballet, www.operaballet.nl
2018Wervelende showcase voor jonge componisten, article by Joep Christenhusz, NRC, www.nrc.nl
2018Moderne techniek is niet weg te denken uit het nieuwe klassieke componeren, article by Frits van der Waa, de Volkskrant, www.volkskrant.nl
2018An Evening of Today, interview by Aad van Nieuwkerk, VPRO, www.vpro.nl
2017Podium: EarBites, interview by Dieuwertje Blok and live performance of Wolken, NPO Radio 4
2016Bijdetijds, radio show by Harrold Roeland, Concertzender, www.concertzender.nl
2012Museum Night at the Stedelijk, programme, www.stedelijk.nl

Performances

2025

03.27–30 Crying Rubber Ducks, Boyan Montero, Art Rotterdam, Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
03.07 Infinity, Yamaha Disklavier Residency, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam The Netherlands

2024

10.12 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, KIEM Festival, Oostende, Belgium
09.25 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Theater aan het Spui, The Hague, The Netherlands
09.21 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, De Sloot Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.19 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Grand Theatre, Groningen, The Netherlands
08.04-16 The Morning Dew, Ricciotti Ensemble, The Netherlands & Ireland
07.05 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, Down The Rabbit Hole, Beuningen, The Netherlands
06.15 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Musis, Arnhem, The Netherlands
05.31 Toonzetting, Toonzetters Ensemble, Oranjewoud Festival, The Netherlands
05.23 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Theater aan de Rijn, Arnhem, The Netherlands
05.20 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, O. Festival, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
05.19 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, O. Festival, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
05.14 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Park Theater, Pand P, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
05.02 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Zaal 3, The Hague The Netherlands
04.26 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, De Lieve Vrouw, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
04.24 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Frascati, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04.23 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Frascati, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04.12 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Via Zuid, Theater aan het Vrijthof, Maastricht The Netherlands
04.11 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Podium Bloos, Breda, The Netherlands
04.10 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, De Nieuwe Vorst, Tilburg, The Netherlands
04.05 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Theater Kikker, The Netherlands
03.19 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Festival Cement, Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
03.18 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Festival Cement, Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
03.17 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Festival Cement, Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
03.16 Close To Harmony, King Sisters, Festival Cement, Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
02.24 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Andriessen Festival, Musis, Arnhem, The Netherlands

2023

11.04 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Sounds of Music, Groningen, The Netherlands
07.28 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Mittelfest, Chiesa di San Francesco, Cividale del Friuli, Italy
06.25 I Love You, Duo Ebano, The 3rd Appia Antica Chamber Music Festival, Rome, Italy
06.17 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, De Philharmonie, Haarlem, The Netherlands
03.04 The Mountain, Ensemble Resilience, Festival Dag in de Branding, Korzo, The Hague, The Netherlands
01.26 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam The Netherlands

2022

12.24 Sci-Fi Kerstmis, Pynarello, Sci-Fi Kerst, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands
12.23 Sci-Fi Kerstmis, Pynarello, Sci-Fi Kerst, Het Cenakel, Tilburg, The Netherlands
12.20 Sci-Fi Kerstmis, Pynarello, Sci-Fi Kerst, Vondelkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
12.18 Sci-Fi Kerstmis, Pynarello, Sci-Fi Kerst, Nieuwe Badkapel, The Hague, The Netherlands
12.17 Sci-Fi Kerstmis, Pynarello, Sci-Fi Kerst, De Doelen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
11.18 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, TROMP Percussion, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, The Netherlands
11.06 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, November Music, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
11.06 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, November Music, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
10.28 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Intro in Situ, Maastricht, The Netherlands
10.15 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Festival Dag in de Branding, Amare, The Netherlands
10.01 Accordion Piece, Erica Roozendaal, 12½ jaar Hard//hoofd, Het HEM, Zaandam, The Netherlands
09.18 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Nieuwe Noten, Plein Theater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.18 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, Nieuwe Noten, Plein Theater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.16 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, Podium Pakhûs SOLO, Stinze-Stiens, The Netherlands
09.11 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.18 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, EarBites, Rode Hoed, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
08.15 Harp Piece, Michela Amici, Grachtenfestival, De Duif, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
08.15 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Grachtenfestival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07.17 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Wonderfeel, ’s-Graveland, The Netherlands
06.11 Improvisation, with artist/choreographer Kees de Haan, Vondelbunker, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
06.04 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Oranjewoud Festival, The Netherlands
05.22 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, Splendor, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
05.21 Toonzetting, Toonzetters, MuziekHaven, Zaandam. The Netherlands
05.20 Schakel Drie, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
05.15 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Tante Nino, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
05.14 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Paviljoen Ongehoorde Muziek, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
05.13 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, ChampdAction, De Singel, Antwerpen, Belgium
05.12 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Club Fluxus, TivoliVredenburg, The Netherlands
03.27 Schakel Drie, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
03.27 Harpsichord Piece, Wesley Shen, The Grey Space in the Middle, The Hague, The Netherlands
03.26 Harpsichord Piece, Wesley Shen, Looiersgracht 60, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
02.20 Bass Piece and November, Juho Myllylä and James Oesi, The Bookstore, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2021

12.19 Życie Strzępów (Cztery Rysunki) (Life of Shreds (Four Drawings)), Sauna Studio, Warsaw, Poland
12.09 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, SMOG, Brussels, Belgium
11.07 Bass Piece and November, Juho Myllylä and James Oesi, Jazzwerkplaats, November Music, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
11.07 I Love You, Duo Ebano, November Music, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
10.22 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Podium Pakhûs SOLO, Stinze-Stiens, The Netherlands
10.11 Underwater, Ensemble Resilience, Canary Islands International Music Festival, Tenerife
10.06 Underwater, Ensemble Resilience, Club Fluxus, Tivoli, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.18 Underwater, Ensemble Resilience, Muze van Zuid, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.11 Ontscheppen, with Janne Piksen and Noortje Luning, Veenfabriek, Leiden, The Netherlands
09.10 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.01 Schakel Drie, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07.11 Organ & Plastics, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07.03 Ontscheppen, with Janne Piksen and Noortje Luning, Minimal Music Festival, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2020

11.27 Bring Me A Storm, Nationale Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
11.19 I Love You, Duo Ebano, Muze van Zuid, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
10.10 I Love You, Duo Ebano, Concertgemaal, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
10.03 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Gesellschaft für zeitgenössische Musik Aachen, Belgium
09.11 I Love You, Duo Ebano, Gaudeamus, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.11 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.30 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.23 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
06.02 Mobile, The Bookstore, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
01.19 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Klangforum, Tankturm, Heidelberg, Germany
01.18 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Vernissage HiKK, Hilsbach, Germany
01.17 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, House Concert, Würzburg, Germany, Germany
01.17 Knipperflits, with VONK, Night of Experimental Boredom, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
01.12 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Nieuwe Noten, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
01.10 I Love You, Duo Ebano, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2019

11.21 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, United Kingdom
11.17 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Ypres Interactive Art Project, Brussels, Belgium
11.09 Bass Piece, James Oesi, November Music, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
10.31 Phonetic Stories, Theater Bellevue, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.13 Holy Disorders, with Boyan Montero, Dom Church, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.07 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.06 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.25 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Sint-Amanduskerk, Bekegem, Belgium
08.15 Bass Piece, James Oesi, Grachtenfestival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
06.30 Door De Grond Heen, Two Envelopes, Q-O2, Brussels, Belgium
06.07 Organ Piece, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
03.19 Sad Piece, performed by Christine Cornwell, Splendor, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
01.28 Ice Floes, New Weird Huddersfield, Huddersfield, United Kingdom
01.25 Ice Floes, Post-Paradise, Birmingham, United Kingdom

2018

11.09 Organ Piece, Orgelpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.11 The Association Game, with Luke Deane, Gaudeamus and Stranded FM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.07 Dream Work, Ensemble Nikel, TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, The Netherlands
05.27 Niets dan ijsbergen: twee scènes uit het dagboek van Hidde Dirks Kat, Hervormde Kerk, Hollum, Ameland, The Netherlands
05.05 Niets dan ijsbergen: twee scènes uit het dagboek van Hidde Dirks Kat, Vrijheidsmaaltijd, Componistendiner, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
02.17 A Puppet Opera, Korzo Theatre, The Hague, The Netherlands
02.15 A Puppet Opera, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2017

09.21 Nature, Freud Festival, Public Library Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09.10 An Account Of Imaginary Or Real People And Events, Voix Nouvelles, Royaumont, France
09.10 For Cassandra, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.19 Wolken, Grachtenfestival, Compagnietheater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07.06 Niets dan ijsbergen: twee scènes uit het dagboek van Hidde Dirks Kat, Sexyland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
06.28 Orchestra Piece, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Maison de la radio et de la Musique, Paris, France
06.16 The Laughing Heart (for choir), Oosterkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
05.13 Verbena, Composers' Festival, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, The Netherlands
05.11 Clones, Composers' Festival, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, The Netherlands
03.24 Verbena, Opera Forward Festival, National Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
03.02 For Cassandra, Conservatory of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2016

11.10 Niets Dan IJsbergen: Two Scenes From The Diary Of Hidde Dirks Kat, Perdu, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
10.14 Nature And Looks, Seoul, South Korea
09.09 Accordion Piece, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
09.09 Grinnin’ In Your Face, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
06.13 Whittle, Koninklijk Conservatorium, Brussels, Belgium
05.15 Chant, Toets des Tijds, Het Veem, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04.14 For Four Players, Splendor, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
03.18 Aerjen, Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2015

12.03 Four Pieces for Violin, Bernard Haitinkzaal, Conservatory of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
11.28 Four Pieces for Violin, Code Rood, Arnhem, The Netherlands
10.20 Mobile and Spring, ConTempora Ensemble, E-Kustika, Skopje, North Macedonia
09.09 Chant for disklavier, Gaudeamus, Utrecht, The Netherlands
08.09 Mobile, SIRGA Festival, Flix, Spain
07.07 Chant for ensemble, Gaudeamus Sessies #9, Muziekhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands
03.05 Spring for eight loudspeakers, Nicolaïkerk, Utrecht, The Netherlands
01.28 Spring, Nature and Looks, Mobile, Soni[K]ab, Huddersfield, United Kingdom

2014

05.26 Nature, Splendor, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2013

11.13 VONK Theater, Skomrahi Festival, Skopje, North Macedonia
02.09 Daniel Johnston, Museum IJsselstein, IJsselstein, The Netherlands

2012

11.03 Knipperflits, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands