With the appointment of Raluca Baicu and Edwin van Andel as programmers Jazz and Pop, an exciting new musical era has begun for de Doelen.
Raluca Baicu currently programmes all the jazz concerts that de Doelen presents in collaboration with partners in the city. From now on, Baicu will take on the entire jazz programming of de Doelen. Van Andel has a rich experience in the music industry. In the past, he worked, among others, at the Royal Concertgebouw and the Melkweg. On 1 July of this year, he will start programming pop and related genres at De Doelen.
Director Janneke Staarink: “With the appointment of Raluca and Edwin, we gain even more expertise. It enables our programme team to realise our ambitions for the future: an inclusive and genre-wide programme, of international stature and for all people of Rotterdam. Who hasn’t already performed in De Doelen? Big pop and jazz legends such as Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Kraftwerk, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Nirvana have given concerts, so the bar is high.
Raluca Baicu is an artistic curator and programme coordinator of North Sea Round Town, the fringe festival of North Sea Jazz. It offers 450 concerts at more than 135 locations in Rotterdam. Baicu is also the music programmer of BIRD/BIRDfest with a focus on talent development and special projects. She is active in the international music scene, with experience in international artistic collaborations, curating music and audience development. She also participates as a jazz expert in various juries and committees at home and abroad.
A brilliant pop and jazz past
Raluca Baicu: “Rotterdam is a dynamic and diverse city with a rich music culture that provides an exceptional source of artistic inspiration. I am looking forward to creating an exciting jazz programme together with de Doelen, the artists and the audience.”
Van Andel is currently programmer Pop, Jazz and ‘World Music’ at The Royal Concertgebouw. He also works as music programmer at Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie in Leeuwarden. Between 2001 and 2015, he organised around 200 programmes per year in the Melkweg. He worked on internal festivals such as Grauzone, North Sea Surf, Encore and Haperende Mens. In recent years, Van Andel has coached programmers and given lessons and advice to beginning artists.
Edwin van Andel: “De Doelen is in full swing, with a brilliant pop and jazz past. I am looking forward to bringing about an equally bright musical future for all of Rotterdam and the surrounding area.”
