Gaudeamus

08/05/2026

This restoration of Ton de Leeuw’s work is the first part of the Dutch Oscillation Series, a project that aims to bring cultural heritage back to life by making electronic music that has been hidden away for years accessible to everyone again. Find out more about the project and the crowdfunding campaign via .

Gaudeamus has been supporting young composers since 1945, and the organization was consequently closely involved in the first experiments with electronics in the 1950s and 1960s. In collaboration with record label and composer Jos Smolders , this year we are paying tribute to Dutch pioneers of electronic music so make sure to check out the album presentation at Gaudeamus Festival 2026!

05/05/2026

Tijdens het landelijke festival de Dag van de Componist, een initiatief van New Music NOW op zaterdag 20 juni, staan in Nederland actieve componisten in de schijnwerpers. Gaudeamus presenteert van 13:45 tot 14:20 op de trappen aan de Jaarbeurszijde van Utrecht Centraal een grootschalig zangmoment door de Utrechtse stadscomponist Diederik van der Laag: ruim 300 zangers, verdeeld over circa 10 ensembles, vormen samen één stadskoor. Zangers en publiek mengen zich; de stad wordt podium!

04/05/2026

So often we hear from audience members who come to the festival for the first time: “What a great festival, why hadn’t I heard of this before?” That’s what we would like to know too! Do you like live acts that are adventurous? Are experimental music events your ideal night out, yet you have never attended Gaudeamus Festival in Utrecht? Or do you know someone who is a great fit for the festival but they somehow missed it? Then we are looking for you!

We offer the opportunity to have a special experience as a guest of the Focus Group. As a focus group participant, you are able to attend the festival free-of-charge, in exchange for your outsider’s eye impressions.

Here’s what you can expect:
* There is a limited amount of places available. We will consider all applications and select a close-knit group that we think will gain the most out of the opportunity. That’s why the Focus Group is especially suited for first-timers of the festival.
* Attend as many of the events as you want! We encourage you to take your time to take in all of the variety of performances that a full pass for the festival has to offer.
* This is a feedback-based initiative. That means you agree to come to our offices the Tuesday after the festival’s end (15 September) for a brief group meeting with other fellow Focus participants at 15:00 at our office in Utrecht. Save the date!

Interested?
Send an e-mail to [email protected] with the subject ‘Focus group 2026’, briefly introducing yourself and telling us how you think joining our Focus Group will be a good match for you.

01/05/2026

GAUDEAMUS RECOMMENDS: On May 7, the sound art exhibition Resonant Space in the Stevenskerk in Nijmegen will conclude with a 'lying down' concert - bring your own mat for extra comfort! During this performance, Amber Meulenijzer will engage in a dialogue with the church’s resident organist, Jetty Podt, through her sound installation. The Königs organ, designed for and inextricably linked to the Stevenskerk, is not only played but also interrogated in its relationship to the space.

28/04/2026

The first artists and projects of Gaudeamus Festival 2026 have been announced. Get your early bird tickets now! https://gaudeamus.nl/festival-info/

23/04/2026

Gaudeamus received a generous contribution from Rabobank Stimuleringsfonds for the promotion of our sound installation exhibition Resisting Waters, that will be part of Gaudeamus Festival 2026, in which sound artists from diverse backgrounds will reflect on our changing relationships with water in times of climate and other crises.

22/04/2026

The international meeting place for composers and music pioneers is looking for fellow enthusiasts for this year’s festival!
Every year we work with a small and friendly group of volunteers to make sure the festival runs smoothly. There are a variety of roles you can help in and it’s a fun way to be directly involved in the growth and development of contemporary music. It is also a great opportunity to expand your (inter)national network, meet the composers of tomorrow and work in the most beautiful locations around Utrecht.

What can you expect from us as a volunteer?
* Volunteer 2 shifts (of approx. 4 – 6 hours per shift) over the festival and you can enjoy a wristband for the whole festival
* Lunch and/or dinner on a working day
* A look behind the scenes at the oldest festival for new music in the Netherlands
* A nice t-shirt with the new design
* A lot of fun!

What do we expect from you as a volunteer?
* Minimum availability of 1 day during the festival period (9 to 13 September)
* We ask for your commitment to various programme parts from 4 to 6 hours, mainly in the afternoon and/or evening

For which positions are we looking for volunteers?
* Checking wristbands
* Guiding the audience
* Counting audience attendance
* Supervising installations

Interested? Send an e-mail to [email protected]

20/04/2026

Fayçal Lahrouchi is an interdisciplinary sound artist and cultural operator from southern Morocco who explores the audio-documentary format as a powerful storytelling tool. He is one of the founding members of AMME, an association that promotes the democratization of access to electronic music in Morocco and the promotion of Amazigh musical heritage. Currently he works as a podcast producer at the Global Diversity Foundation, where he creates documentaries on community ecology and conservation. In his episode for Gaudeamus, Fayçal introduces us to Hmadcha and the living Sufi tradition of musical healing.
 
Link in bio!

15/04/2026

15/04/2026

The first artists from the Gaudeamus Festival 2026 programme have been announced, and ticket sales for all day tickets have started. From 9 to 13 September, we will present more than 45 concerts, interdisciplinary performances, the Gaudeamus Award, lectures, and a seminar.

Gaudeamus Festival is the festival for musical adventurers in The Netherlands. Five days of concerts, interdisciplinary performances and sound installations, full of unheard sounds and brand-new forms by young, up-and-coming composers, musicians, and artists, in and outside of the city centre of Utrecht. Open your ears and let yourself be surprised!

Buy your tickets before 1 June with an early bird discount: https://gaudeamus.nl/en/festival-info/

Music in the teaser: 'Dense Periodic Orbit' by Soheil Shayesteh & Maya Fridman

13/04/2026

The first artists from the Gaudeamus Festival 2026 programme have been announced, and ticket sales for all day tickets have started. From 9 to 13 September, we will present more than 45 concerts, interdisciplinary performances, the Gaudeamus Award, lectures and a seminar.

Gaudeamus Festival is the festival for musical adventurers in The Netherlands. Five days of concerts, interdisciplinary performances and sound installations, full of unheard sounds and brand-new forms by young, up-and-coming composers, musicians, and artists, in and outside of the city centre of Utrecht. Open your ears and let yourself be surprised.

Check the programme and buy tickets: https://gaudeamus.nl/en/festival-info/