Marcel van Rootselaar (1961, Groningen, the Netherlands) moved in the early eighties to New York to explore jazz music in the US. Offered a full music scholarship at the Brooklyn Long Island University in 1988 he on and off-campus pursued studies in saxophone, flute, clarinet and composition. After a brief stint in free jazz he decided to focus on composition as the best vehicle to express his musical ideas.

Early works include Trio for Cello, Tuba and Soprano saxophone (1991), which fortuitiously was premiered that same year at the former Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall with the fabulous Marcus Rojas on tuba and Michelle Kinney on cello. The next year followed with the premiere of Deep Waters, Rejoice (1992) a 35 minute through-composed work for chamber ensemble. The cast featured the incredibly talented downtown NYC talents of David Krakauer, Marcus Rojas, Mary Rowell, David Cossin, Mary Wootan along with the composer. Commissions followed by the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and the Bronx Arts ensemble. Between 1989 and 2001 the composer  wrote works for (and often performed with) various ensembles, large choir, theater, dance, cablevision commercials, documentary and other works. In 1997 he continued his music education at Brooklyn College studying with Tania Leon and others, completing a masters degree in composition  in 2001. Mostly for financial reasons that same year he started two not arts related businesses. It was only in 2012/2013 Van Rootselaar decided to once again start focusing on music. However, in the intervening years a heightened interest in other art forms (poetry, photography, and to a lesser degree painting) had developed, and the composer/artist now is exploring ways to present these various art forms, along with his lifelong fascination with mysticism, as parts of a larger integrated response to the experience of Being.

A new art installation titled Room for Reflection is scheduled for the Fall of 2016. For more information please visit the soon to be launched Manifold Artworks LLC site.

Thanks so much for your interest!