Poëzie Integraal: VLERK

Perdu presents the first in a brand new series of programmes, Poëzie Integraal, in which a poetry collection is read from beginning to end. A unique experience where the coherence and evolution of themes, emotions and use of language reveal themselves.

For the first edition, we have enlisted none other than poet Idwer de la Parra to read his collection Vlerk (2023 Bezige Bij, winner Awater poetry prize). In addition, composer Heleen Van Haegenborgh, known for her experimental and daring improvisational pieces, will respond to the collection with a new musical piece. Her conceptual approach to music, not only stimulates the senses but also triggers the listener’s imagination.

We look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of poetry and experimental music!

About the guest speakers/performers

Idwer de la Parra is a poet and gardener. His debuut collection Grond was published in 2016 – Vlerk is his second published collection.

Dichterschap, dit verendek –

rukwind mort aan de pennen.

Ik wil ze kwijt maar durf ze

zelf niet neer te leggen.

Moeder, wat is er van mij

geworden? Een zingende kraai?

Toch ziek om al die lelijkheid

fraai te willen zeggen.

Heleen Van Haegenborgh started her career as a pianist, specialising in contemporary music and extended techniques. In recent years, she has been mostly active as a composer. She often collaborated with theatre makers and visual artists but improvisation projects have always been present during her career as well. She participated in European Melting Pot in Wroclaw, Istanbul Express in Istanbul, Peking Express in China. Also in Belgium, she works closely with musicians with different backgrounds such as jazz, electronica, Japanese music, free improvisation. These collaborations resulted in records released by De Werf records, Entr’acte, El Negocito Records, Logos and Het Balanseer. In 2022, she released Squaring the Circle for 4 percussionists and electronics, and now she is preparing a solo record (piano and electronics) to be released in 2024 by De Werf Records. She studied composition at the Brussels Conservatory, piano in Ghent and took teacher training in Antwerp.