intro
A love of language, music, science, and technology runs as a common thread through the life and work of Rozalie Hirs. Her poetry unfolds in a fluid, layered style, where sound and meaning interact across multiple layers. This invites readers to explore different paths through the text, make new connections, and shape their own personal reading experience. In her music, Hirs develops a distinctive harmonic language, inspired by the acoustic and psychoacoustic qualities of sound. Her spectral compositions range from works for voice and instruments to orchestra, electronics, and sound art. She often brings together traditional instruments and electronically generated sounds, using carefully constructed frequencies and her own methods of sound synthesis. Works involving the spoken voice also play an important role in her oeuvre, where words and sound merge into a continuous flow of meaning.
youth
From an early age, Rozalie Hirs discovered a passion for singing, drawing, and writing, which soon became part of her daily life. At the same time, she developed a strong curiosity for science and technology. During her youth, she lived in different places, including Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany. After completing her secondary education (Atheneum B, Het Nieuwe Lyceum, Bilthoven, 1983), she studied chemical engineering at the University of Twente. Her academic training included research at the Department of Reaction Mechanisms and Catalysis under Luigi Mandolini (Università La Sapienza, Rome), and at the Department of Organic Chemistry under David Reinhoudt (Master of Science, University of Twente, 1990).
Alongside her scientific studies, Hirs continued to develop her artistic practice. She wrote poetry and took part in opera productions at the Enschede Music School, where she performed the solo soprano roles of Anima in Cavalieri’s Rappresentazione di Anima e di Corpo and in Purcell’s King Arthur. She was also the singer in the New Wave band Boolean, where she co-composed songs with the other band members.
art education
From 1991, Rozalie Hirs studied composition at the Royal Conservatory with Diderik Wagenaar (1991-1994) and Louis Andriessen (1994-1998), alongside frequent lessons with Clarence Barlow and Gilius van Bergeijk. At the same time, she studied classical voice with Eugenie Ditewig (Utrecht Conservatory, 1991-1992) and with Gerda van Zelm (Royal Conservatory, 1992-1994).
On May 10, 1991, she presented her poetry at the cultural student festival Pythische Spelen in Enschede, where she won third prize. This led to an invitation from Jan Kuijper, then poetry editor at Uitgeverij Querido. In 1992, she debuted in the literary magazine De Revisor, and in 1995, she won first prize for poetry at the Pythische Spelen in Amsterdam.
In 1998, she graduated as a composer from the Royal Conservatory (Uitvoerend Musicus, Department of Composition, Royal Conservatory, 1998; Master of Music, 2015). A year later, Hirs moved to New York as a Fulbright Fellow to study composition with Tristan Murail at Columbia University. She completed her doctorate in 2007 with the essay On Murail’s ‘Le Lac’ and her composition Platonic ID, written on commission for ASKO|Schönberg (Doctor of Musical Arts, Columbia University, 2007).
For her composition studies and doctoral research, Hirs received scholarships from Columbia University (1999-2002), the Performing Arts Fund (1999-2002), and the Prins Bernhard Cultural Fund (2003-2005).
work
music
In the late 1990s, her first CD single Sacro Monte (Present Serie, NM Classics, 1998) was released. In 2007, the portrait album Platonic ID (Attacca Productions) followed, featuring instrumental works. The portrait album Pulsars (Attacca Productions, 2010) explores the multilingualism and simultaneity of streams of meaning in three electroacoustic works based on her own texts. In 2025, two portrait albums were released: Infinity Stairs, featuring solo and chamber works; Rosehart, focused on orchestral compositions. In 2026, the portrait album Dreams of Airs, based on the eponymous poetry and music cycle, will follow.
Rozalie Hirs is building an impressive oeuvre with commissioned works for renowned ensembles, orchestras, and soloists. Her compositions are performed at leading venues and festivals both in the Netherlands and internationally. She has composed commissioned works for, among others, Amsterdam Sinfonietta (lichtende drift, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, 2014), Arnold Marinissen (article 0, 2000), ASKO|Schönberg (book of mirrors, Holland Festival, 2001; platonic ID, Concertgebouw, 2006; arbre généalogique, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, 2011; the honeycomb conjecture, Philharmonie Essen, 2015; parallel sea [to the lighthouse], TivoliVredenburg, 2018), Bozzini Quartet (nadir, November Music, 2014), Concertgebouw Orchestra (parallel world [breathing], University of Amsterdam, 2017), Ensemble Ascolta (artemis, Donaueschingen, 2022), Ensemble Klang (charms, symmetries, Amare, The Hague, 2024), Musikfabrik (lightclouds, Zaterdagmatinee, Concertgebouw, 2019), Klangforum Wien (atlantis ampersand, Holland Festival, 2015), Philharmonie Zuidnederland (avatar, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, 2022), Radio Philharmonic Orchestra (roseherte, Dutch Music Days, 2008; bron, Zaterdagmatinee, 2023), Ruysdael Quartet (adonis blue, November Music, 2023), Fie Schouten (article 12, November Music, 2012; bee sage, Muze van Zuid, Amsterdam, 2023), Slagwerk Den Haag (venus, Holland Festival, 2010), Sonar Quartet (hand in hand, Musikkreis für Neue Musik Heilbronn, 2020), SPECTRA Ensemble (dreams of airs, November Music, 2018; Orgelpark, 2022), VPRO (pulsars, 2007), Marie Ythier (article 10, Festival Présences, Radio France, 2021). These works were supported by organizations such as the Performing Arts Fund and the Eduard van Beinum Foundation. The music scores are published by Deuss Music.
Additionally, Hirs regularly performs her compositions for spoken voice and electronic sounds on international poetry and music stages, combining her role as composer and poet in unique performances.
poetry
Rozalie Hirs made her debut in 1998 with the poetry collection Locus, published by Uitgeverij Querido, Amsterdam. This was followed by the collections Logos (2002), [speling] (2005), Geluksbrenger (2008), gestamelde werken (2012), verdere bijzonderheden (2017), oneindige zin (2021), dagtekening van liefdesvormen (2024), and vragen naar het begin (2026, forthcoming). In 2013, Uitgeverij Vleugels published her first English poetry collection, Curvices and Musicles, which was followed ten years later by the Dutch collection ecologica (2023), which won the Jan Campert Prize in 2023.
Her poetry collections have been translated into various languages, including ein tag (German; hochroth Verlag, Berlin, 2014), život mogućnosti (Serbo-Croatian; Biblioteka Prevodi, Banja Luka, 2014), gestammelte werke (multiligual; Kookbooks Verlag, Berlin, 2017), ahora es una rosa (Spanish; Yauguru, Montevideo, 2019), spor af lykkebringer (Danish; Melodika Forlaget, Copenhagen, 2021), and ecologica (Italian; NOUS Editrice, Catania, 2026; in preparation). Hirs’ Dutch poetry and translations of her work are supported by the Flemish Literature Fund (1999-2011) and the Dutch Foundation for Literature (2013-present). Poems from her collections have appeared in literary magazines and anthologies in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, China, and Mexico.
poetry and music
A large number of Rozalie Hirs’ musical works are based on her own poetry. Some examples include: In LA (2003) based on the poem “In LA” from Speling (2005); hello little thistle (2004) based on “o kleine distel” from ecologica (2023); Pulsars (2007) based on “Pulsars” (2006); Bridge of Babel (2009) based on “Bridge of Babel” (2009); arbre généalogique (2011) based on “Stamboom,” translated by Henri Deluy, from Geluksbrenger (2008); atlantis ampersand (2015) based on the cycle “atlantis &” from ecologica (2023); dreams of airs (2017-18) based on various poems and cycles from Geluksbrenger (2008), gestamelde werken (2012), and verdere bijzonderheden (2017); hand in hand (2020) based on the cycle “hand in hand,” translated by the author into German, from oneindige zin (2021); artemis (2022) based on several poems selected from the cycle “magie van een mogelijk heden,” translated by the author into German, from oneindige zin (2021); al dat groen en blauw (2023) based on various poems from ecologica (2023).
Her portrait album Pulsars (Attacca Productions, 2010) explores the multilingualism and simultaneity of streams of meaning in three electroacoustic works based on her own texts, In LA (English version; 2003, 2010 rev.), Pulsars (English; 2007), and Bridge of Babel (multilingual; 2009). In 2025, two portrait albums were released: Infinity Stairs, featuring her solo and chamber works, including article 5 [delphin, gekrümmte zeit] (German version; 2008, 2022 rev.); Rosehart, focused on her orchestral compositions, including arbre généalogique (French translation: Henri Deluy; 2011). In 2026, her portrait album Dreams of Airs (multilingual; 2017-18), based on the eponymous poetry and music cycle, will follow.
In 2005 Rozalie Hirs wrote the libretto of the opera De genezing van de krekel (E: The Cricket Recovers; D: Die Grille) by Richard Ayres, commissioned by Almeida, London, and Aldeburgh Festival, based on the novella with the same name by Toon Tellegen. The libretto was translated into English by John Irons; the stage set was designed by the Brothers Quay. The opera has received subsequent productions, at Holland Festival, directed by Pierre Audi (2011), with Junge Oper Stuttgart (2007), at Theater Basel (2017), and Tanglewood (2019). In 2008 and 2010 respectively, Rozalie Hirs wrote poems for the music compositions Spaces of Blank by Michel van der Aa, that was performed and recorded by Concertgebouw Orchestra, and texturen by Katharina Rosenberger, performed and recorded by Wet Ink Ensemble.
visual arts
Rozalie Hirs regularly collaborates with visual artists and designers on multidisciplinary projects, such as digital poetry, museum sound installations, and video art. Together with designer Matt Lee and visual artist Noëlle von Eugen, she created Logos digitaal (2003). New media artist Harm van den Dorpel created the digital poetry works Daily (2006), Family Tree (2006), and Geluksbrenger online (2011), as well as the museum installation Leven vorm (2006). Ines Cox and Lauren Grusenmeyer designed Zichtboek van gestamelde werken (2012), in which alter egos of poems are presented on various social media networks. The works Daily (2006), Family Tree (2006), Geluksbrenger online (2011), and Zichtboek van gestamelde werken (2012) were realized with grants from the Dutch Foundation for Literature (Poetry on the Screen / Digital Poetry).
At the request of the open-air museum Klankenbos in Neerpelt, Belgium, Rozalie Hirs, together with Ines Cox, Lauren Grusenmeyer, and architect Machiel Spaan, developed the interactive poetry and music installation Curvices (2013-present), a mobile application. This location-specific app was later translated into Curvices Den Bosch (2014-present) and Curvices Amsterdam (2015-16), commissioned by November Music and Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ. In collaboration with architect Machiel Spaan, the interactive music sculpture Luisterhuis (2017-present) and the architectural sound installation Ways of Space (2019-present) were also created, which have been exhibited at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven (2017), the van Doesburghuis in Meudon (2019), the Aubette in Strasbourg (2021), the Architekturzentrum Wien in Vienna (2022), and ARCAM in Amsterdam (2022). At her request, visual artists Boris Tellegen and Geert Jan Mulder created a live video performance for the music and poetry cycle dreams of airs (2017-18), performed in the Netherlands and Denmark. All of these projects were supported by the Simuleringsfonds voor de Creatieve Industrie.
The case for a small language network (2024) is a museum installation created by visual artist, designer, and programmer Richard Vijgen at Hirs’ request, based on her poetry collection oneindige zin (2021). The prototype oneindige zin digitaal (2023), a precursor to the museum installation, is permanently available online. This work was supported by the Simuleringsfonds voor de Creatieve Industrie, and the prototype was realized with a grant from the Dutch Foundation for Literature (Digital Literature).
Since 2008, Michaël Snitker has been the regular designer of the poetry collections by Hirs published by Uitgeverij Querido. Marc Vleugels is the designer of the collections published by Uitgeverij Vleugels.
teaching
At the request of the Nieuw Ensemble, Rozalie Hirs developed the course Contemporary Compositional Techniques and OpenMusic for the Conservatory of Amsterdam (2005-06). The book of the same name, with essays on the topic, was published in 2009 by Collection Musique/Sciences (IRCAM/Éditions Delatour, Paris). For her research on the course and the book, Hirs received a grant from the Amsterdam School of the Arts (research chair of Marijke Hoogenboom; 2005-07).
Between 2010 and 2012, Hirs taught composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and in the Autumn of 2017 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. In 2011, Hirs was the jury chair for the international Gaudeamus Award, and in 2015 and 2017, she was a jury member for the P.C. Hooft Prize and the VSB Poetry Prize, respectively.