The Seasons – May: Year-long Tchaikovsky series bridging music, poetry and visual art

Contemporary multimedia arts project The Seasons marks the merry month of May with a Tchaikovsky piano performance, an original poem and a new illustration.

Belgian concert pianist Marie François is the creative spirit behind this artistic experience that celebrates the seasons throughout 2026. It commemorates the 150th anniversary of Tchaikovsky’s 12 piano pieces that were originally performed throughout 1876.

This new version features the composer’s works, performed by François, alongside 12 new poems by four writers and 12 illustrations by Juliane Noll. The Dutch-language poems by Lize Spit, Max Temmerman, Ester Naomi Perquin and Joke van Leeuwen are spoken by Koen De Bouw and have been translated into English by David Colmer.

The poems and illustrations are published each month in Flemish daily De Standaard, The Bulletin and on radio NPO4 in the Netherlands. A link at the end of this article provides access to the musical recordings.

Read an interview with Marie François here.

12 months, 12 pieces of music, 12 poems

White Night (May)

dazzling light sparkling light

people in the depths

with an oh and an oh and an ahhh

don’t stop now no backdrops now 

but clacking heels on pavement  

and being happy now we have to be happy 

gabbling about miracles and being sure

that nothing is lost that loses no time but a kind 

of easy eternity with apples in our cheeks 

and in and out sweet breath and caught

in the light with lots of royal yellow and royal

blue and royal-royal-don’t-ask-me and death 

should hang his head in a shabby corner 

because enjoying what bodies do with bodies

and who’s that running after us have you 

forgotten something isn’t this yours too 

quick get happy because the night 

has taken a hike in this bright now

dazzling light sparkling light

people in the depths

with an oh and an oh and an ahhh

Joke van Leeuwen

Translated by David Colmer

Listen to this month's audio recording here