Rosa Arnold: ‘I think of my violin as wood that continues to live. Wood has its own sound, it resonates’

The Ragazze Quartet will perform Memories of Trees on Saturday afternoon at Korzo. First violinist Rosa Arnold shares her thoughts. 

Do you still see a tree in your own violin?  

“I think of my violin as wood that continues to live. Wood has its own sound, it resonates. There’s a reason why ‘tonewood’ is a recognized term; it refers to types of wood suitable for instrument making. Without trees, we’d have nothing to play on. But there’s a downside too. As a species, humans pose a threat to trees, including us as a quartet: our instruments and bows carry a history of deforestation and colonization. And yet, wood itself is an incredibly sustainable material.” 

How is this story reflected on stage?  

“This past summer we premiered the piece at Oerol, right in the middle of a forest. That was amazing, the performance space was infinitely large, and real trees acted as our counterparts. Now we’re developing a version for indoor venues. Audiovisual designer and artist Jurjen Alkema has built large wooden boxes that we, as performers, can fit inside. One side is covered with a voile onto which Jurjen projects his visuals. Jurjen and director Mees Vervuurt have created a beautiful visual language. And Bart Hess has designed stunning costumes inspired by tree-related textures: bark, roots, fungal threads. It’s more like entering a world than telling a concrete story, about the relationship between us and the trees.” 

There are no real trees in the hall. Are they still present?  

“Absolutely! The dramaturgical arc of the piece is that the trees gradually gain a voice, they begin to speak back. And we, in turn, gradually withdraw. At Oerol, we could disappear into the forest in the distance; in the hall, we’ll find a different way to achieve that.”