curator & key note at site-specific Music Festival Oranjewoud

Site Specific Music Festival, Oranjewoud Park, Heerenveen, Netherlands

23 May - 25 May 2026

Site-specific music is the musical counterpart of site-specific theatre and landscape art. Discover a new world in which the location becomes part of the musical work itself. In 2026, the Oranjewoud Festival will host its first international site-specific music festival and symposium, with guest curators Strijbos & Van Rijswijk.

Site-Specific Music

Since 2014, the Oranjewoud Festival has distinguished itself through the development of site-specific music, aiming to play a pioneering role in this field. Site-specific music is closely connected to a particular place. The composition, concept, and/or performance are specially designed for the unique acoustics, atmosphere, or context of that location. The site thus becomes an essential part of the musical work. A defining characteristic is the equal relationship between creator, audience, and the physical location. Whereas the traditional stage composer has evolved into an all-determining “architect,” the site-specific composer is more like a “gardener.” They can prune and guide, but do not control everything; the location and the audience also act as participants. This new perspective creates space for different audience experiences, forms of expression, and narratives than those found in traditional concert practice. It also aligns with the current spirit of the times, in which the relationship between humans and nature is changing.

Just as has already happened with site-specific theatre and landscape art, site-specific music deserves further exploration. In doing so, new audiences can be reached, existing audiences surprised, and (new) makers inspired through composition commissions, research, and experimentation. Both the Parklandschap Oranjewoud and the broad programmatic approach of the Oranjewoud Festival are ideally suited to such a developmental role.

Site-Specific Music Festival and Symposium

With an annual “site-specific music festival” spread throughout the park landscape, the Oranjewoud Festival will take a major step forward in 2026. The aim is to give an additional boost to the visibility and recognition of site-specific music among creators, presenting institutions, and audiences. This festival-within-a-festival includes composition commissions, site-specific music projects from the Netherlands and abroad, and a mini-symposium. It also offers opportunities for emerging makers to develop themselves and present their work.