Concerto in Memoriam in Westerveld memorial park

The annual Concerto in Memoriam is to be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday 6 June in the monumental memorial park of Westerveld Cemetery & Crematorium (Duin & Kruidbergerweg in Driehuis). This concert attracts more and more people each year. Entrance is free, as Westerveld aims to provide all visitors with the opportunity to commemorate their loved ones. Leo Fijen This year, the Word of Comfort will be given by Leo Fijen. Fijen is head of Religion & Culture at the KRO Dutch broadcasting company, but is better known for presenting a popular religious programme from 1992 to 2009, and from another popular Dutch talk show. Fijen has also written books on the death of his father, on how the monastic life helps one to find the spiritual in the daily grind, and one about how some parents in Volendam are dealing with the loss of their children in a major cafe fire in that town. His latest book is about a family’s grief five years after a man murdered his wife and two daughters in Zoetermeer (2010). Westlands Male Voice Choir The first Concerto in Memoriam was organised in 1994 and, in addition to the Word of Comfort, the programme includes a number of pieces of classical music, the Last Post and a poetry recital. This year, the musical programme will be provided by Westlands Male Voice Choir, nationally renowned for singing the theme tune to a popular early seventies television series in the Netherlands. The choir will sing tunes from Verdi, Handel and Gounod and also perform pieces from the musicals The Sound of Music and Carousel. “The Concerto meets a need and attracts many visitors every year”, said Carla Bosua-Westerman, Director of Westerveld Cemetery & Crematorium. “This is the reason why we have now organised it sixteen times. Many people – young and old alike – see the Concerto as a perfect moment to commemorate their loved ones, both communally and yet individually. The pastoral surroundings and of course the beautiful music certainly help.” For further information, please go to: www.bc-westerveld.nl