THE ROYAL MILITARY BAND OF THE NETHERLANDS In 1829 a band of 28 musicians was added to the regiment of Garde Grenadiers en Jagers and as such it became the foundation for the Koninklijke Militaire Kapel. In 1876, His Royal Highness King William III, conferred the designation “Royal” on the Band. The Royal Military Band traditionally works under the supervision of the King and is therefore regularly employed to add lustre to military ceremonies attended by members of the Royal Family and the Government. Artistically the Band has always performed at a high musical level and is a welcomed guest in the Dutch theatres and concert halls. The Royal Military Band also performs regularly throughout the country and abroad, representing the Ministry of Defense in general and the Royal Army in particular. The Royal Military Band, residing in the Frederik Kazerne (military base), has always been inextricably bound with the royal court capital, The Hague. The Royal Military Band is a modern and flexible organization based on a long and rich history. LASZLO MAROSI: CONDUCTOR Laszlo Marosi was born in 1960 in Sarvar, Hungary. At the age of five, he started his musical education and continued at the Music Gymnasium of the Hungarian Army where he majored in both piano and trombone. He studied conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music with Tamas Breitner, the director of the Pecs Opera house. From 1982 to 1997 Marosi has worked for the Hungarian Army as conductor of the Central Army Band, and later as artistic assistant of the chief army conductor. During this time he recorded a number of works by Franz Liszt and other, contemporary Hungarian composers, and appeared as guest conductor of the Hungarian Army’s Symphony Orchestra yearly. Also Laszlo Marosi conducted his ensemble in several concerts for radio and television productions and toured with the group through Europe. In 1994, his book, “The History of the Military Music in Hungary from 1741-1945” was published. Since 1985, he has served as training director of wind band conductors at the Liszt Teacher Training College, Budapest. Since 1993, he has been artistic director of the Budapest Symphonic Band, and conductor of the Liszt Academy Wind Ensemble. Marosi also conducted the Budapest State Operetta Theater in more than fifty performances annually, between 1989 and 1994. He was a featured guest conductor of the Strauss Symphony Orchestra during its tour in Belgium, Switzerland, and France between 1996 and 1998. He conducted Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Matav Symphony Orchestra, Hungary at the Budapest summer festival in 1998. Marosi produced CD recordings for leading European companies and as guest conductor, lecturer and judge he appeared in Italy, Israel, Spain, Check Republic, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, England, South-Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, and at several universities in the United States. Laszlo Marosi recently received his Ph.D. in Music Education at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, where he regularly has conducted the University Symphony Orchestra in compositions of Aaron Copeland, Ludwig van Beethoven, Ellen Taifee Zwillich, and Shulamit Ran. MOSA SAXOPHONE QUARTET Mosa, Maas, Meuse, is a river in West Europe, 925 km long, 492 km of which are in France, 194 in Belgium en 239 in The Netherlands. It may be a coïncidence that both the inventor of the saxophone, Adolf Sax, and the members of the Mosa Saxophone Quartet refer to this important fountain of life. It is also striking that Adolf Sax first presented his instruments at the KMK and more than 170 years later 3 members of this orchestra have founded a saxophone quartet. The musicians of the Mosa Saxophone Quartet, Roy Hoven (soprano-sax), Jos Dobbelstein (alt-sax), Jean Pierre Cnoops (tenor-sax) and Richard Alberts (baritone-sax) have studied at the conservatories of Amsterdam, Enschede, The Hague and Maastricht. They are all known to be inspired soloists, as appears from the awards and honours they have received, ranging between distinctions as “Cum Laude” and prizes like the “Edmond Hustinxprize” or the “Vriendenkrans” of the Koninklijk Concertgebouw and Concertgebouworchestra. Here we see four strong individuals, investing their musical capacities in the Mosa Saxophone Quartet. The program of the Quartet is largely determined by repertoire specifically written for saxophone quartets. Nevertheless the KMK does not limit itself to playing saxophone music, it also draws from the enormous amount of music from earlier centuries. This explains why the ensemble plays interpretations, mostly arranged by themselves. The group has shown interest in working together with other ensembles, soloists and even different art forms. SOUTHERN BRASS QUINTET Southern Brass is one of the few professional copper quintets in The Netherlands with a steady cast. While studying at the conservatories of Maastricht and Aken, five copper players from Limburg have founded this quintet in 1992. At many events they have performed during their studies. Concerts were given in the St. Jans Church and the Munster Church in Roermond, where they played with various choirs. All five have completed their studies and found employment in the Dutch orchestras. Current Southern Brass’ members are: Marc Speetjens (trumpet), Patrick Spelthaen (trumpet), Cleo Simons (horn), Sandor Hendriks (trombone) and Joost Smeets (tuba). Along with their commitments to the various orchestras, these musicians stay actively involved in this quintet, the objective of which is to play high quality and yet popular music, redefining their goals continuously. Yearly Southern Brass gives several concerts, such as last year’s in Heerlen’s theatre and in Thorn and the group has also participated in a KRO television documentary. All members are part of a larger copper ensemble as well, called Flexible Brass. FRANK VAN DER LAAR: PIANO Frank van de Laar was born in Laren in1965. He was ten years old when he started studying piano which he completed at the Sweelinck Conservatory under Jan Wijn. Frank received the highest possible award. Then he continued studying in Hannover, with Prof. Karl Heinz Kammerling and in Amsterdam with Naum Grubert. In 1987 he won the third prize at the ‘International Brahms Concours’in Hamburg and in 1988 he received the first prize of the ‘Sweelinckconcours’ for Dutch pianists. That same year he made his début at the big hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Since then he has performed nationally and abroad with increasing frequency. Frank has given concerts in almost all European countries, as well as in Russia and India and has been honoured many times (Jacques Vonk Prize’89, the Round Lutheran Church prize’93, Prize of the Slovak Music Critique’ 93). His repertoire covers the entire Bach era up till now, including less known masterpieces, both old and modern works. Actively involved in chamber-music, Frank has been recorded in many radio and television performances . He has produced seven CD’s. Frank van de Laar is a principal piano teacher at the conservatories of Arnhem and Zwolle.