In addition to Sue the Night, Nusantara Beat, Josephine Odhil, ZEP and "Voldemort," alumni Carceri, Meis, Schoppenheer, Swan, Klankspoor, The Great Communicators and Kitchenette will be playing at 20 Years of Pop in Melkweg on Thursday 5 October!
In 2003, the Conservatorium of Amsterdam launched its pop music course. Now, twenty years on, we can proudly affirm that the existence of the pop department as a springboard for unique, creative, and innovative pop talent has been proven time and time again. This wonderful milestone will be celebrated on Thursday, 5th October, with a grand party at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. Various alumni including Sue the Night, Nusantara Beat, Josephine Odhil, ZEP, 'Voldemort,' and several mystery guests will perform. Tickets for this festive pop evening are available via the Melkweg at €15. AHK students, alumni and staff can register themselves for free tickets. The full line-up will be announced in the coming weeks on our social media pages.
20 Years of Pop is 20 Years of Jack Pisters
The musicians from the Conservatorium of Amsterdam's pop department have released surprising albums and have been making name both nationally and internationally. Many alumni have grown into successful artists such as DeWolff, WIES, Jungle by Night, EUT, Lucas Hamming, Kensington, Jett Rebel, Pitou, Meis, Alamo Race Track, Nusantara Beat, and MY BABY. Bands from the pop department have been invited to festivals like Eurosonic Noorderslag, Pinkpop, Best Kept Secret, Lowlands, Down the Rabbithole, Reeperbahn Festival (Germany), Glastonbury (UK), and SXSW (USA). In addition, the pop students perform with bands such as Spinvis, Maan, Kensington, Blaudzun, Goldband, Bløf, and Van Dik Hout. Pop students are also frequently honoured with awards and distinctions such as the Sena Pop NL Award, the Grote Prijs van Nederland, 3FM Awards, Gouden Kalf, the Amsterdamse Pop Prijs, and Edisons in various categories. Much of this is due to the tireless efforts of the initiator and coordinator of the pop course, lecturer Jack Pisters and his team. Pisters has been playing guitar since a young age and has had a career that has taken him to various acts like Avalon, Mina Caputo, and Anouk. He is also the composer of many soundtracks. Pisters is the chairman of the Sena European Guitar Awards, the artistic director of Amsterdam Guitar Heaven, and advises national and international bands and artists in the field of sound and production. "The past twenty years with the pop department have been a wonderful journey with a fantastic team within this top institute," said Jack Pisters. "We have created the programme that I would have wanted to attend myself! With room for all styles, all kinds of musicians, and a focus on creating new music. Let's ambitiously continue to build together."
Mystery Guests
The pop department has produced many successful talents, and a number of alumni and students will be performing at the 20 Years of Pop event, including Sue the Night (indie), ZEP (drums, and lots of bass), Nusantara Beat (grooving beats, Indonesian roots), 'Voldemort' (He who must not be named), and Josephine Odhil (psychedelic dream pop). See the line-up here! As a surprise, a few Mystery Guests have been added to the programme.
Amsterdam Electronic Music Academy (AEMA)
Over the past decades, the pop department has been supplemented with a two-year master's programme, a young talent department (YPA), and in 2018 with a course for electronic music; the Amsterdam Electronic Music Academy (AEMA). During this two-year Associate Degree, students are trained to become electronic artists and producers. Alumni and lecturers can be seen in clubs and at festivals such as Club Basis, de School, Tomorrowland, Thuishaven, Mysteryland, and many other venues and festivals.
Check out this page and stay tuned!