Fontys Helps!

Today is Happy Bach Day! Around lunchtime, cellist Benjamin Glorieux and pianist Rembrandt Frerichs, playing the harpsichord, bring baroque music to life in a special way.

Free entrance, registration is not required, but be in time, limited number of seats available.

Benjamin Glorieux & Rembrandt Frerichs
A curious musical eye and a shared passion for experimentation have made cellist Benjamin Glorieux and pianist-composer Rembrandt Frerichs an appealing combination for more than a decade. These two progressive musicians innovate traditions and push boundaries. What makes their collaboration so special is the subtle interweaving of improvisation and baroque music in their programs. Together they create a historically informed sound that feels both familiar to the enthusiast and surprising to new ears in classical music, as a fusion of old and new worlds.

Music in motion
Although baroque music often runs as a common thread through their repertoire, Glorieux and Rembrandt also make room for the lyrical splendor of 19th-century classical music. With works by Bach and Vivaldi as well as subtle references to later styles, they know how to surprise their audience again and again. For them, music is not a museum piece, but a living art form that is constantly in motion.

You know Bach?
Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the greatest and most influential composers in the history of classical music. This exact day, 21 March, in 1685 Bach was born. If you don't know this German Baroque composer and musician very well yet, watch this short animation video in which Bach is introduced in a cheerful way.

Every month, you can enjoy the best movies on the big screen of the auditorium. In April, we will be showing the Chilean drama film Ema. A couple copes with the aftereffect of an adoption that goes south as their relationship crumbles.

Genre: Drama
Film Director: Pablo Larraín
Starring: Mariana di Girolamo, Gael García Bernal
Language: Spanish – Subtitles: English
Time: 19:30-21:15 hrs. Free entrance (no registration required). Entrance Cobbenhagen building

“I’m not interested in sex. I’m interested in emotions.
’’Ema, a young dancer, divorces Gaston, the director of her dance company. Struggling with guilt over returning Polo, the child they adopted to cope with Gaston's sterility, to the orphanage, she deals with a shocking incident when Polo's issues with impulse control lead to a disaster.Ema is Larraín’s least conventional film to date. Against the backdrops of Valparaíso, Chile, it is a vivid musical spectacle dealing with themes of emotional trauma and the journey of self-discovery.

Reception
After premiering at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Ema went on to tour many film festivals, including the local International Film Festival Rotterdam. Directed by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, known for his works Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021), Ema marks his return to Chilean cinema.

Discover the talents of students and staff of Tilburg University at the Open Mic Night. Music, comedy, spoken word; everything is possible as long as it fits in the Esplanade café! Sign up as a performer or take a seat in the audience. (English & Dutch)

Time: 19:30 - 22:00 hrs. Admission is free.

Tilburg University’s singers, musicians, comedians, poets, performers of any kind take the stage during the Open Mic Night at Grand Café Esplanade. It's guaranteed to be a fun night on campus!

Are you interested in performing?
Let us know via the form below on which occasion you want to perform. Make sure to bring your own instrument, we provide you with a microphone.I want to perform  On the evening itself there sometimes is room for spontaneous performances, but we cannot guarantee this. Only students and employees of Tilburg University can take the stage, as an audience everyone is welcome.
Come and Support the PerformersNo need to be in the spotlight, but feel like having a great evening? Just come and listen to the performances! Entrance is free, you don’t have to sign up.

Saxophonist Karlo Žamić and pianist Benjamin Goldenbeld form duo Mendula. They explore the rich sonic possibilities of their unique instrumental pairing and play classical music infused with elements of other genres.

Free entrance, registration is not required, but be in time, limited number of seats available.

Karlo & Benjamin
Mendula is a dynamic alto saxophone and piano ensemble founded by saxophonist Karlo Žamić and pianist Benjamin Goldenbeld. Both are students at the Classical Music Division of Fontys Academy of the Arts in Tilburg. Driven by a shared passion for innovation, the duo explores the rich sonic possibilities of this unique instrumental pairing. While their foundation is rooted in classical music, their creative vision extends beyond its traditional boundaries.

Repertoire for saxophone and piano
Because the saxophone is a relatively young instrument (invented in 1840s), its classical repertoire remains underexplored compared to more established instruments. Karlo and Benjamin want to bring their audience closer to this music with its rich harmonies, vivid textures, and infectious rhythms. Through thoughtful storytelling, contextual insights, and direct dialogue with listeners, they aim to transform what may seem unfamiliar at first into an experience that feels fresh, exciting, and meaningful.

Program
Their program features essential works from the saxophone and piano repertoire, offering a colorful blend of classical music infused with elements of other genres, like jazz. Audiences can expect an electrifying atmosphere filled with fresh sounds, surprising textures, and the boundless creative energy that defines Mendula's musical journey.

Fame
The aging actor Riggan (Michael Keaton) once became famous thanks to the superhero movie Birdman but his fame is waning. The only thing that can save his ego is a starring role on Broadway. But the show has disastrous tryouts and expectations toward opening night are dwindling visibly. “You're not an actor, you're a celebrity,” scoffs a venomous theater critic. In a seemingly uninterrupted shot, Riggan roams the St James Theatre in New York, a grand and spectacular technical feat, showing what cinema is capable of. Around it all hovers the ghost of Birdman himself - at times we catch a glimpse of his beak-shaped mask and feathered cape, poison dripping into Riggan's ear, like an evil advisor.

Awards
Birdman has been received as a brilliant, postmodern meta-masterpiece. Birdman won the major Oscars: Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Original Script and Cinematography.