Robert Jan Stips

Undoubtedly the ‘éminence grise’ of this select group of composers, Robert Jan Stips has been in the avant-garde of Holland’s progressive rock scene for over 40 years now. He started out with the heavily Soft Machine influenced band Supersister and later played with Dutch greats varying from mega rock act Golden Earring to the brilliant comedian Freek de Jonge. In 1992 he, as a member of The Nits, co-composed a classical piece for the Radio Symphony Orchestra. For this Opera Revisited-project he imagined a scene with Porgy and Bess in heaven – a treat which would even have surprised George Gershwin.