Tijn Wybenga (1993) is a composer and conductor who combines orchestral colours with electronics and improvisation. His music contains elements of classical, hip-hop and jazz music, mixed with influences from South African, Turkish and Indian styles. He graduated from the Conservatory of Amsterdam and is currently active in the Amsterdam music scene, where he was Artist in Residence at the jazz club BIMHUIS from 2019 to 2021. After graduating, he founded the orchestra AM.OK, which was recently renamed Brainteaser Orchestra, after his last album Brainteaser (2021). Over the years, Wybenga received several awards, such as the Rogier van Otterloo Award for the best young composer, conductor and arranger in 2018.
This year Tijn, collaborating with Metropole Orkest, presents four new compositions at the North Sea Jazz Festival: one for Ambrose Akinmusire, one for Lizz Wright and two for them together. In addition, the ensemble will play compositions of the two guests, arranged for Metropole Orkest, as well as pieces Wybenga wrote for the orchestra last year. He will mix the inspiration he got from Akinmusire and Wright with that from members of his band AM.OK, with which he won the Deutscher Jazzpreis 2021 for Best Debut Album. This will be Wybenga’s first time conducting Metropole Orkest, which he considers “a true honour.”
