(b. 1961, Amsterdam).

Dutch composer of mostly stage and chamber works that have been performed throughout the world; he is also active as a violinist.

Mr. Bollen studied violin privately with Jan Bor in Amsterdam from 1967–72 and with Herman Krebbers at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam from 1972–79. He later studied composition with Joep Straesser at the Utrechts Conservatorium in Utrecht in 1987 and with Gilius van Bergeijk, Theo Loevendie and Klaas de Vries at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag from 1989–93. He has also attended masterclasses in Poland and the UK, as well as a workshop on the classical music of southern India with Janhavi Jayaprakash in Amsterdam in 1998.

Among his honours as a violinist is Third Prize in the competition Oscar Back in Amsterdam (1970). As a composer, he and the HEX Ensemble received two invitations to attend the International Music Forum in Kiev (1995–96). His works have been performed in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and the USA.

As a violinist, he has primarily performed his own music and works by contemporary composers. In addition, he played with the techno ensemble Seafood in 1998.

He is also active in other positions. He co-founded with his wife, the composer Alison Isadora, the HEX Ensemble in Amsterdam in 1991 and has served as its artistic director and manager since 1991. He often collaborates with choreographers, including Ross Cooper from the Curve Dance Company in Edinburgh and Keith Derrick-Randolph from the Scapino Ballet in Rotterdam.

He has taught music theory and violin privately in Amsterdam since 1985. He taught at Outside Art Drenthe in 1995–96 and has lectured on electronic music and violin at the Utrechts Conservatorium since 1997. In addition, he has given guest lectures in New Zealand, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.

His publisher is Donemus.

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

Die Turm des Empedocles (music-theatre work, text by Cees Nooteboom), male voice, MIDI-grand piano, sampler, 1994

Mana (ballet in 2 acts), voice, 3 female speakers, 9 dancers, bağlama (lute from Turkey), piano (+ sampler), tablā, drum kit (+ sampler), gamelan, 2001

Born and Bred (music-theatre work), live electronics, live image-processing, 2001 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

The Deep South (music-theatre work), live electronics, live image-processing, 2002 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

ORCHESTRAL:

Dokadans, piano, small orchestra, 1994

CHAMBER MUSIC:

On Freedom and Architecture, clarinet, violin, 2 violas, double bass, accordion, 1990

De Sprong, baritone saxophone, tuba, violin, double bass, percussion, 1991

Étude II, violin, 1991

Vacuum/Lament (in memoriam Olivier Messiaen), violin, piano, 1992

Étude IV, 'Unstable, Artificial', cello, 1992

PTOOMA, flute (+ piccolo), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, 2 French horns, trumpet, trombone, tenor-bass trombone, tuba, electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, percussion, 1993

Nastay (Étude V), electric guitar, 1997

Tube, quarter-tone flute (tuned to Kingma System), percussion, 1997

Zoab, 8 players, DJ, 1997

Bug, flute (+ piccolo), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, 2 French horns, trumpet, trombone, tenor-bass trombone, tuba, electric guitar, bass guitar, sampler, percussion, 1999

Time Flexor, flute, bass clarinet, piano, live electronics, 2000

Softloader, flute (+ piccolo), 2 clarinets, 3 saxophones, French horn, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, bass guitar, piano (+ sampler), 2001

Pusher, Tacker, MIDI-violin, synthesizers (1 player), sampler, 2001 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

VOCAL:

Bauh I–III, countertenor, bass, harpsichord, 2 percussion, fixed media, 1991

Hammer (text by Friedrich Nietzsche), mezzo-soprano, fixed media, 1993

Ah, Sweet Mysteries of Life (text by Richard Huber), voice, synthesizers (1 player), sampler, 2001 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

PIANO:

Étude I, 1991

Slants, 1991

Das Nervöse Wohltemperierte Disklavier, MIDI-grand piano, 1992

Inner Mobiles, 2000

ELECTROACOUSTIC:

Sync, fixed media, live electronics, 1995

Looking for Peter, fixed media, 1996

De Karmellenberg, fixed media, 1998

MULTIMEDIA/PERFORMANCE:

The Big Shop, 1998 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

In Situ, fixed media, film, 2000

It Was a Sunday (text by Alison Isadora), MIDI-violin, synthesizers (1 player), sampler, live electronics, film, 2001 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

Kokako, live electronics, film, 2001 (collaboration with Alison Isadora)

DISCOGRAPHY

Bauh I–III. Antoon Bekken, countertenor; Kees Jan de Koning, bass; Riko Fukada, harpsichord (Philips Records)