Prizewinners Announced at Amsterdam's Goodmesh Concours 2023

The duo Smackgirls won first prize of €5,000 and a professional support pack

The fourth edition of Amsterdam's Goodmesh Concours recently concluded, following the live finals at Het Concertgebouw on November 27, 2023. Founded in 2020, the event is a multidisciplinary art competition that encourages its participants to combine music with other art forms.

In 2023, 200 musicians and artists applied to take part, with finalists choosing to combine music with dance, animation, visual live coding, spoken word, videography, and poetry. Each was tasked with interpreting the competition's theme of "the Full Moon."

First Prize went to Smackgirls for their work "Rite of Rumi" for saxophone, drums, and dancer. The duo, made up of Lisa Scheiber (saxophone/drums) and Kanoko Takeuchi (dance) will receive €5,000, Goodmesh Management support, a professional photo shoot, video recording, and PR consultancy.

Second Prize went to Delle Cose for "Incanto," a work of live electronic music with visual live coding that explored the lifestyle of Southern Italy's farmers and fishermen. The pair will receive €3,000, Goodmesh Management support, a professional photo shoot, video recording, and PR consultancy.

The other three finalists were Inge Louisa (recipient of the Netherlands Space Society Prize), Olloman Ensemble (recipient of the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy Prize), and Elizabete Beate Rudniska.

In 2023, the jury comprised Jacques Goddijn (Head of Jury/Founder), Anna Sitnikova  (Founding Director, Moon Gallery Foundation), Ine Poppe (writer, teacher, journalist, artist), Farnoosh Farnia (Artistic Director Fringe Festival), and Yoram Ish-Hurwitz (Artistic Director Oranjewoud Festival).