Jozef van Wissem

The Profile

Dutch minimalist composer and lute player based in Brooklyn, known for fusing classical-rooted lute music with modern, experimental forms and for collaborations with filmmaker Jim Jarmusch; won the Cannes Soundtrack Award in 2013 for Only Lovers Left Alive.

Dutch minimalist composer and lute player; based in Brooklyn; frequent collaborator with Jim Jarmusch; Cannes Soundtrack Award 2013 for Only Lovers Left Alive; creates experimental folk and film scores centered on the lute.

A detailed review portrays Jozef van Wissem as a Dutch minimalist composer and lute player who fuses classical roots with modern, experimental folk aesthetics. The piece highlights his collaboration with Jim Jarmusch and the Cannes award for Only Lovers Left Alive. It focuses on the album When Shall This Bright Day Begin, its dark yet calming atmospheres, and contributions by Zola Jesus. The reviewer praises the record’s success in bridging classical and light music.