​Superhuman control

​Based in The Hague, percussionist Konstantyn Napolov is dedicated to new music and collaborates with prominent composers. He likes to fill the stage with a wide variety of instruments, as he does in the Paleiskerk. In Christiaan Richter's Droplets he plays an extensive collection of objects, gongs and instruments from Chinese opera. The rhythmic processes of nature, such as falling raindrops, are expressed in a counterpoint of different rhythms. Combining these intricate patterns requires extraordinary mastery, and Napolov excels at it, leaving the audience breathless.

On other instruments he plays nature-inspired solo pieces by Louis Andriessen, John Psathas, Tansy Davies, Mark Glentworth and Nicolas Martynciow. For Remy Alexander’s piece Eva, artist Rob van den Broek has created a new percussion instrument.