James Oesi & Djuwa Mroivili Adoration

They focus on music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with pieces by Dvořák, Brahms and Gershwin, among others, as well as music by composers of colour such as Coleridge-Taylor, Price, Still and Dett, who are increasingly receiving the attention they deserve.

Traditional Afro-American music from that period also gets a place in the program – music that had a great influence on composers such as Dvořák and Gershwin. Together, Oesi and Mroivili offer a refreshing look at the classical repertoire and show how rich and diverse musical history really is.

James Oesi

Since his arrival in the Netherlands in 2009, double bassist James Oesi has positioned himself as a unique soloist in the classical and contemporary music world. He has performed in venues such as the Concertgebouw and at festivals such as November Music and Wonderfeel. As founder of the Dutch Double Bass Festival, he is committed to the visibility of the double bass as a solo instrument. His debut album Adoration (2024) contains music by Black composers from the 19th and 20th centuries, among others. He is also a guest lecturer at the Utrecht Conservatory.

Djuwa Mroivili

Mroivili is a versatile Comorian-Dutch pianist, teacher and activist. At the age of fourteen, she became fascinated by classical music after playing a piece by Franz Schubert. She studied piano at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle and graduated in 2020. Mroivili is known for her socially critical performances in which she combines classical music with other art forms. She is committed to inclusivity within the art world and explores the role of black composers in classical music. In 2024, she released the album Adoration together with double bassist James Oesi, with works by black composers among others