Bio

Bianca Bongers (1987, NL) is a Dutch composer and cellist. After finishing her Master cello in 2014 with Monique Heidema at the Fontys Conservatory of Tilburg, she studied composition with Wim Henderickx and Luc van Hove at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. In 2017 she graduated the master composition with the ‘highest distinction’. Additional lessons and masterclasses she took with Wolfgang Rihm, Brian Ferneyhough, Rebecca Saunders, Willem Jeths and Michel van der Aa.

Starting from a visual way of thinking, Bianca her music is recognizable for its high refinement and strong sense of form, in search of shaping music as an almost touchable object. Her pieces were performed on festivals such as Gaudeamus Muziekweek, November Music, Lucerne Festival (CH), Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt, Kurt Weill Fest (DE), OpenDays Festival (DK), Ultraschall Berlin and Grachtenfestival (NL) where she worked with ensembles and musicians like Royal Flemish Philharmonic (BE), Vincent van Amsterdam (Dutch Classical Talent, NL), Lucerne Festival Alumni (CH), Kugoni Trio (BE), Trio Catch (DE), International Ensemble Modern Academy (DE) and Ensemble Adapter (DE). In 2019, Bianca got presented by Gaudeamus Muziekweek for an exchange with the Korean Composers Association in Seoul (KR). At the moment, new pieces are coming up for Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir (IS) and Intercontinental Ensemble (NL) in 2021.

Recordings of her work were made by the Dutch label TRPTK of Reiken for violin, alto saxophone & piano (2018) and Collage van een Achtvlak for nonet (2016/19). Her piece Surrounded by Air, Appearance II for flute, oboe & piano (2018) got recorded by Triotique (BE) and published by Etcetera Records in fall 2018. Broadcastings sounded by Concertzender and NPO Radio 4 during the program VPRO Vrije Geluiden with an interview by Aad van Nieuwkerk. In 2020 the premier of her piece ‘Come wide close’ for soprano saxophone, played by Andreas Mader (AT) was streamed live from Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam by the Dutch channel NTR.

Bianca is part of the Dutch composers association ‘Nieuw Geneco’ and will be published as of 2019 by Donemus publishing house of contemporary classical music.