Played by the Waves

What if the waves in a river could play an instrument?

Played by the Waves (Door de Golven Bespeeld) is a prototype tidal instrument I developed for the riverbank of Brienenoord Island, Rotterdam, in collaboration with Leander Pot. The work is an experiment in creatively interacting with the river and exploring how an instrument might bring the rhythms of the tidal landscape into our experience of the city.

Following many months of research and development, we tried it on the water on 2 October 2026. Activated by waves at high tide, it translates the movement of the River Nieuwe Maas into sound.

The prototype currently lives in the workshop of the Buitenplaats, Brienenoord. It will be exhibited periodically, next time at the Mini Sound Festival led by Buitenplaats on 1 November.

Played by the Waves was the first step in a longer project of developing tidal instruments for Brienenoord, with a view to making some that could become permanent. Plans are already taking shape for the next stage in connection with the developing tidal park on Brienenoord, and in collaboration with local stakeholders.

Supported by the Buitenplaats, Brienenoord, and Willem de Kooning Academy.