Prepare for four days of unforgettable minimal music during the Minimal Music Festival at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam.

Four days of hypnotising minimalism

Repetition becomes trance, sound becomes space, time fades. Across four intense days, the ninth edition of the Minimal Music Festival invites you to experience music as something physical and transcendental, from icons of the genre to today’s boldest creators. What inspired pioneers such as La Monte Young, Terry Riley and Steve Reich resonates here in a kaleidoscope of adventurous sounds and styles. 

Build your own festival and save up to 30% when you book multiple tickets online. Pick two, three, four or five concerts to unlock tiered discounts that are automatically applied at checkout. Early bird options for 13–30-year-olds make the journey even more accessible. 

Highlights at a glance

Here are the main highlights of the Minimal Music Festival at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ:

Day 1 - Thursday, April 16

The festival opens with two world premieres: a new percussion concerto by Kate Moore for the electrifying Claire Edwardes and Het Muziek, plus Ivan Vukosavljević’s Dead in Love for 13 players, an immersive quest that draws on Indian traditions and early music. Tip: drop in for the public rehearsal earlier that afternoon to get inside the creative process.

Late in the evening, step into KKAARREENNIINNAA: a ritual double bill where Japan’s FUJI|||||||||||TA meets Charlemagne Palestine with Oren Ambarchi and Daniel O’Sullivan at BIMHUIS. Expect vibrating drones, harmonics and a shared, ecstatic pulse. 

Day 2 - Friday, April 17

Drummer-composer Sarathy Korwar leads a melodic sound trip for four drummers, followed by Ensemble Klang inside a shimmering light installation for Éliane Radigue & Carol Robinson’s OCCAM cycle, slowly transforming sound sculptures that merge music, light and time.

Peak minimal: Bang on a Can All Stars celebrate Terry Riley’s 90th with A Rainbow in Curved Air arranged by Gyan Riley and the game-changing In C. These are two classics you simply must hear live. 

Day 3 - Saturday, April 18

From Sarah Hennies’ SOVT (prepared piano resonance) and Pauline Oliveros’ Primordial/Lift (deep listening with MAZE), the day crescendos into a run of signature festival pairings: Nik Bärtsch & Tania Giannouli (two pianos, hypnotic architecture), Bendik Giske + Sam Barker & Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (acoustic techno meets contemplative electronics), and a midnight glow with Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: angelic voice, synths and harp from the duo’s gorgeous new album Tragic Magic.

Day 4 - Sunday, April 19

An afternoon immersion in John Luther Adams: pianists Ralph van Raat and Emanuele Arciuli perform the composer’s complete solo piano works plus a world premiere; a brand new two-piano version of Four Thousand Holes, and the elemental swell of Dark Waves for two pianos.

The festival closes with The Necks, the legendary Australian trio whose long-form, slow-burning improvisations cast a hypnotic spell, “one of the greatest bands in the world,” as The New York Times put it. 

Free entry at the festival cafe

At the festival café, prepare to hear live acts, artists and a community hub throughout the day and into the night. Drop in between concerts and let the vibe carry you along. 

Get your tickets

Get your tickets! Build your festival and save up to 30%! When you book multiple tickets for the Minimal Music Festival at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ and BIMHUIS, you benefit from a discounted rate.

Standard adult tickets range from 8 euros to 43 euros. The more concerts you choose to attend, the higher the discount.