Lieke Wijnia - Resonating Sacralities: Dynamics between Religion and the Arts in Postsecular Netherlands

Lieke Wijnia

Resonating Sacralities

Religion and Society

Edited by

Gustavo Benavides

Frank J. Korom

Karen Ruffle

Kocku von Stuckrad

Volume

Lieke Wijnia

Dynamics between Religion and the Arts in Postsecular Netherlands

ISBN 9783110558241

e-ISBN (PDF) 9783110559255

e-ISBN (EPUB) 9783110558289

Set-ISBN 9783110559262

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.

2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

In loving memory of Piety Wijnia-Mollema (19542015)

Im not religious

But I feel so moved

Makes me want to pray

- Madonna, Nothing Fails

Haruki Murakamis novel Kafka on the Shore features an intriguing dialogue.

Do you think music has the power to change people? Like you listen to a piece and go through some major change inside? Oshima nodded. Sure, that can happen. We have an experience like a chemical reaction that transforms something inside us. When we examine ourselves later on, we discover that all the standards we've lived by have shot up another notch and the world's opened up in unexpected ways. Yes, I've had that experience. Not often, but it has happened. It's like falling in love.

I have had the privilege of people sharing profound experiences with me in the context of the research project from which this book results. Experiences that do not happen often, but when they do these experiences can be transformational. I am indebted to the research participants who were willing to share their experiences and thoughts with me. First, the program committee of festival Musica Sacra Maastricht for welcoming me into their midst: Sylvester Beelaert, Stijn Boeve, Fons Dejong, Jacques Giesen, Jos Leussink, and Russell Postema. After finishing my fieldwork and writing up the dissertation, I was invited to become a member of the festivals program committee. I gladly took up this task for several years, followed by membership of the festivals supervisory board. Through these various roles the festival has become a fixed and enriching part of my ritual year. I also thank the members from the festival audience for opening up to me about what being at Musica Sacra Maastricht meant to them: Cees and Atie, Cunera, Elly, Han, Jacob, Margot, and (under pseudonym) Ann, Mildred, and Vivienne. And, not in the least, thanks to the performers, for answering my questions about performing at the festival and so much more: Sid Clemens, Michael Finnissy, Andreas Gaida, Hans Leenders, Titus Muizelaar, Jonathan Powell, Jesse Rodin, Mike Svoboda, Boudewijn Tarenskeen, Miguel Trigo Moran and Marcel Verheggen. I extend my gratitude to all for their trust in the project and willingness to let me ask questions about matters of great value. Without their participation, this research would not have been possible.

The research began in late 2011 as a Ph.D project at Tilburg University. Martin Hoondert established the groundwork for the project. Together with Paul Post, they supervised my dissertation until the defense in 2016. I am grateful for their guidance and advice along the way. I also extend my thanks to defense committee members Odile Heynders, Anders Petersen, Martijn Oosterbaan, and Ruth Illman. Several of their examination questions have accompanied me in the revision process from dissertation into this book. The dissertation received the second prize in the annual Ph.D thesis awards of Tilburg University I thank the award committee for this honor. Still in dissertation form, my research was warmly welcomed to De Gruyters