MACRIS, Saskia

Saskia Macris was born in Amsterdam on April 9th, 1964, before moving to France for her primary and secondary education. She played the guitar, piano and voice in school and where she earned her doctorate from the Université-Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris where she investigated the intersection between philosophy and music in Schoenberg. In 1986, she returned to the Netherlands, and studied singing at the Sweelinck Conservatory. In 1991, she began her composition studies with Daan Manneke, and from 1996 to 2000, she studied with Theo Verbey.

Her compositions include Sourire d'être dans ton souffle (1994) for three female voices (performed in May 1995 by Capella Amsterdam under the direction of Daniel Reuss) and Le grand Lest, which premiered in Brussels in September 1996 with the Huelgas Ensemble under the direction of Paul van Nevel. During the Gaudeamus Music Week 2000, Agámi II (1999) for four trumpets was performed. In 2007, a commission from Paul van Nevel and the Netherlands Chamber Choir will premiere.

In 1997, Saskia Macris won the Hinsz organ composition competition in Kampen with her first organ work, Bevrijding (1995).