Willem Breuker Prijs 2024: Kika Sprangers

Willem Breuker (1944-2010) was the founder of the Willem Breuker Kollektief. He was composer, saxophonist and clarinetist in this orchestra that traveled the world for 35 years. He was also the founder of record company BV Haast, a label for all types of music that Breuker took seriously but for which commercial labels showed little interest. For decades he organized the Klap op de Vuurpijl, the annual festival for jazz, improvised and newly composed music. The biennial Willem Breuker Prize is for someone who or whose work features characteristics of Willem Breuker’s work or way of work. This time the prize will be awarded to saxophonist, composer, arranger and band leader Kika Sprangers.

From the jury report:

With a lyrical sound of her own, saxophonist Kika Sprangers conquers many hearts. Her intense love for music and fellow musicians is cleary visible. With a completely unique approach she develops projects in which no cooperation is taken for granted. Kika Sprangers searches for and creates unexpected encounters: with choirs, orchestras, string quartets, big bands. Any genre and every art form inspires her to find and deepen her own language. Quality is always paramount and her connecting role, in front of and behind the scenes, ensures a coherent whole in every line-up. Her mission to give more women a stage in the jazz scene stands out and is essential for the emancipation of jazz. Her working method can be described as: don’t talk but act, to quote Willem Breuker. She follows her own path and always makes her own wise choices.

The final program will be announced later.

Extra prize of special recognition on the occasion of Willem Breuker’s eightieth birthday
On November 4, 2024, Willem Breuker would have turned eighty years old. The board of the Willem Breuker Foundation has decided to award an additional prize on the occasion of Willem’s birthday. This prize goes to violinist Heleen Hulst and pianist Gerard Bouwhuis for their decades of tireless dedication to contemporary music, as excellent performers, as initiators and organizers of various music (theater) projects and as powerful advocates of interdisciplinary cooperation.

Opening Willem Breuker Brug
On January 10, 2024, the City of Amsterdam officially recognized the Willem Breukerbrug (the bridge to our venue and Muziekgebouw). On November 4, the bridge will be opened in a musical way.

Line-up tba