Into the Light Sasha Witteveen, Jorian van Nee, Jose David Ospina Gaviria

• Dmitri Smirnov (1948-2020): …Into the Light, Op. 193:
• 1 Smirnov: ...Into the Light, Op. 193 12:57
• Xavier Dubois Foley: The Falling Seagull:
• 2 Foley: The Falling Seagull 08:18
• Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943): 5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3:
• 3 Rachmaninoff: 5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: I. Elégie 06:46
• David Anderson (b. 1962): Seven Double Bass Duets:
• 4 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: I. Kibbles & Kibitz 01:35
• 5 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: II. Parade of the Politically Prudent Pigs 02:04
• 6 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: III. Rush Hour 01:14
• 7 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: IV. Schgweik Fahrt 01:14
• 8 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: V. Lament 02:40
• 9 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: VI. Blew Cheeze 01:51
• 10 Anderson: Seven Double Bass Duets: VII. Gustav's 11 O'clock Dance 02:07
• Giovanni Bottesini (1821 - 1889): Variations on a Theme of Paisiello:
• 11 Bottesini: Variations on a Theme of Paisiello 06:13
• Total Runtime 46:59

Info for Into the Light

When it is dark, light must shine. Listening to this album will take you into the light, being guided by the human and versatile voices of our instruments. The inner strength of this album is the progression from minor to major. With our instruments we speak about contrasts between loss and comfort, captivity and freedom, injustice and honesty, sarcasm and humor, drama, and love.

"To my demanding ears, Sacha is one of those gifted women who qualify for classical solo pieces, playing with little or no vibrato in her musically driven performances. [...] Opulent perfectionism and well-judged glissandos define her virtuoso non-accompanied solo style in what I consider to be the best part of her debut SACD: ‘The Falling Seagull’." (Adrian Quanjer)

Sasha Witteveen, double bass
Jose David Ospina Gaviria, double bass
Jorian van Nee, piano

Sasha Witteveen
is a versatile double bassist and has won first prize at many (inter)national competitions such as the International Youth Bass Competition in Lucca, the British Double Bass Competition, the Princess Christina Competition and the Viennese Bass Days Competition. In 2022/23, Sasha was a finalist in Dutch Classical Talent and performed her tour ”…Into the light” on fifteen major concert stages in the Netherlands.

Sasha is active as a soloist and has given concerts in Het Concertgebouw, TivoliVredenburg, DeLaMar Theater, Philharmonie Haarlem, Wiener Musikverein, Melkweg Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ and more. She has played at festivals such as the Dutch Double Bass Festival, International Chamber Music Festival Schiermonnikoog, Grachtenfestival, Stift International Music Festival, NPO Radio 4 Hart & Ziel Festival, Klassiek op het Amstelveld, Wonderfeel, the Leidse Hofjes Concerten and Festival Classique. She has performed as a soloist with LUDWIG, the Residentie Orchestra, CvA Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Youth String Orchestra, Britten Youth String Orchestra, the LGT Young Soloists, the Kennemer Youth Orchestra and the Jonge Strijkers Nederland.

Sasha also plays a lot of chamber and orchestral music and she often collaborates with other promising young musicians. She was an academist the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Since 2018 she has been part of the LGT Young Soloists.

Sasha studies with Rick Stotijn at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf. She completed her bachelor’s degree with the highest possible grade at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Olivier Thiery, Naomi Shaham and Burak Marlali. She followed master classes with Božo Paradžik, Matthew McDonald, Wies de Boevé, Dominic Seldis, Gary Karr, Theotime Voisin, Ximo Riera and Nicholas Schwartz.

Sasha plays two beautiful instruments built by Sergio Scaramelli in Ferrara. The Landolfi model is being loaned to her by the Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds.

"What an amazing appearance behind the double bass! Her decisiveness and determination is impressive, she knows exactly what she wants. Without fear, her fingers race over the fingerboard and she tames her instrument." (Jury of Dutch Classical Talent, 2022)

Booklet for Into the Light