“The title of my orchestral work Lumen ad Finem Cuniculi means: Light at the end of the tunnel. It is a one-movement piece for orchestra, composed in 2015. For some time I had been intending to compose a sequel to my 2009 orchestral work, Orchestral Variations. I wanted to again use the set-up in which a quartet consisting of two marimbas and two vibraphones forms a prominent rhythm section within the orchestra. The orchestra’s remaining instrumental groups would then be placed both above and below the music of the percussion quartet. The work is characterized by a balance between a clear structure and appealing sound. The structure of the piece consists of an alternation between two fast and two slow movements: ABA’ B’. The four movements are played without interruption. The reason for writing the piece is the proclamation of 2015 as the Dutch Year of the Mines. Fifty years ago, the mines in South Limburg, the Netherlands, were closed. The parties involved look back on that decision with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was clear that coal extraction in that area would never again be profitable. In that regard, the closing of the mines was a completely correct decision. On the other hand, the promise to create other employment on a large scale has never fulfilled, resulting in a certain deterioration of the region.”

– Theo Verbey