The Goodmesh Concours, a Netherlands-based multidisciplinary arts competition, has wrapped up for another year. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘fish’, and Hungary’s Trio Silhouette took top prize for a bold performance that mixed classical music, live dancing, lighting and visual art.
Five finalists performed in front of the Goodmesh Concours jury and a live audience at The Hague’s Theater De Regentes on 1 December. The judges commended Trio Silhouette’s bold mixture of media and the powerful and poetic performance that resulted.
Cellist Mátyás Virág and pianist Róza Radnóti performed works by György Kurtág and Leoš Janáček, accompanied by lighting, visuals and dance. ‘The tension during the performance was equal to that of literally catching a fish,’ the jury noted. ‘When you get a bite you get goosebumps and you want to keep the catch with you.’
Second prize was awarded to Ensemble Emergenz from Germany, who combined musical soundscapes with artistic swimming, visuals and unique instruments such as a water piano and sub bass recorders. Finally, the Audience Award went to Sweden’s Johannes and Simon Rydén, who combined solo baroque cello with dance.
This was the competition’s third annual instalment. Across its first three years, the Goodmesh Concours has received applications from hundreds of artists representing over 50 nationalities. ‘This is a clear testament that young artists are ready to think outside the box and come up with new and exciting ways to bring art to their audience,’ concludes Jacques Goddijn, the competition’s founder, art director and concept developer.