30 minutes Decolmuseum acoustic set with Simon Nagtegaal (guitar).
Emir Cello (Alfian Emir Adytia) is currently active as a performer and composer across the Netherlands, Europe, and Asia. His work continues to challenge imperial cultural narratives while fostering deep connections across genres and disciplines especially through his latest album Decolmuseum (2025). His high-energy, genre-defying live set blends classical, rock, metal, and Indonesian folk, leading local media to dub him the vanguard of a “New Indonesian Wave”. In support of this album live concerts, Emir formed a power trio with Turkish bassist Kaan Yazici and Dutch drummer Sander van Elferen, emerging from the heart of the Dutch underground scene.
Emir is an Indonesian progressive cellist, performer and composer based in the Netherlands. Emir’s presence both on stage and behind the score is a captivating blend of bodily ecstasy and spiritual transcendence, creating an immersive and transformative experience for the audience. Emir’s musical journey began at age 9 under the guidance of his father, composer Yoesbar Djaelani, who introduced him to music theory, harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration. Alongside this classical foundation, Emir explored pop, rock, and traditional Indonesian music, singing and playing guitar. At 13, he was introduced to the cello, marking the beginning of his lifelong dedication to the instrument.
After being provided with a solid basic by his father, Emir embarked his lifetime commitment in music by entering music academia from Yogyakarta High School of Music (2008-2011), Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta (Bachelor of Arts, 2011-2016) till the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague (Master of Music, 2017-2019). After graduating with a master’s degree in cello classical music in The Hague, Emir has forged a dynamic artistic path marked by prolific 12 discographical releases, numerous interdisciplinary performances and collaborations.
Rooted in his Javanese and Minangkabau tradition while living as a diaspora in Europe, his work offers a unique perspective on both historical and contemporary cultural kaleidoscope, blending seamlessly the East and West as well as breaking its border at the same time. Emir’s music and live performances have graced renowned stages in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, North America and Europe. Highlights of his recent career include being artist-in-residence at the International Cello Festival Zutphen (2021), a sold-out debut at the Cello Biennale Amsterdam (2022, Bimhuis), a bold performance in a former colonial venue during Grachtenfestival (2023), and a 2025 collaboration with Orkest De Ereprijs for the Andriessen Festival. Emir’s accolades include awards from the Calefax Composers Competition (Amsterdam, 2022), the Bartók World Composition Competition (Budapest, 2022), and a feature in the Spitfire Audio LABS Community Playlist (London, 2022).