Maya Verlaak

Maya Verlaak is a Belgian composer (born in Ghent in 1990) who is active as a performer, curator and teacher. She describes her compositional process as a ‘scrutinising compositional position’ in which the creative process is guided by the specific context of each commission. This results in the development of different compositional techniques for each creative endeavour. She develops novel approaches for each situation, never taking anything for granted. This way of working opens up her compositional practice towards new methods, creative solutions and playfulness.

Sharing her creative process is important to her so she develops new notation systems to communicate her concepts. Her compositions are written in such a way that the performers have insight into the compositional process. The works are intended to create space for critical thought; space for the individual audience members and performers to scrutinise the work.

Verlaak’s works have been commissioned and performed by diverse ensembles such as Ensemble Klang (NL), IEMA – Ensemble Modern (DE), Apartment House (UK), Ensemble Interface (DE), LCollective (USA), New European Ensemble (NL), London Sinfonietta (UK), An Assembly (UK), ensemble x.y (UK) and many others. Solo commissions include works for Karin de Fleyt (flute), Mark Knoop (piano) and Sarah Saviet (violin). Her music appears on NMC Recordings (Next Wave, 2014), Birmingham Record Company (Tape Piece, 2020) and Another Timbre (All English Music is Greensleeves, 2020).

She is a founding member of the Post-Paradise concert series and Acid Police Noise Ensemble, and is currently a member of iii (Instrument Inventors Initiative).

Verlaak studied composition with a minor in sonology at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague (NL). In 2019 she was awarded a PhD from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (UK) funded by the AHRC Midlands3Cities Doctoral Training Partnership. She has been a principal-subject composition teacher at the Conservatoire of Amsterdam (NL) since 2018.