Brutally Minimalistic

Wed Nov 05 2025 at 07:15 pm to 09:00 pm UTC+01:00

De Thomas | Amsterdam

Herman Lai
Publisher/HostHerman Lai
Brutally Minimalistic
Advertisement
Minimal Music and Insightful Talks – a cultural event designed as an end-of-year gift for reflection in a fast-paced consumer culture
About this Event

Brutally Minimalistic 2025 is a cultural event designed as an antidote to consumerism and Black Friday, hosted at De Thomas in Zuidas, renowned for its Brutalist architecture. Featuring minimal music by a piano duo and inspiring talks, the event offers full immersion in space, sound, and thought.

This concert provides a moment of reflection on our daily lives before the rush of festive holidays like Thanksgiving, Sinterklaas, and Christmas. By presenting minimal music as a conceptual counterbalance to consumerism, the program encourages reflection amidst today's fast-paced consumer culture, countering the impulsive purchases and overconsumption sparked by events like Black Friday. (See other counter-initiatives such as 'Green Friday')



Program
- Music -

John Adams: Hallelujah Junction(Featured in the film “Call Me By Your Name”)
Philip Glass: Four Movements for Two Pianos (excerpt)
Michael Nyman: Water Dances (excerpt)



-Inspired Talks -
  • Degrowth;
  • Re- / Circular Economy

(speech will be in English)



-Speakers-

Josephine de Zwaan | Supervisory Board Roles, Former Chair of the Board at Fairphone / Nyenrode Alumni and PfD student (Topic: Driving repair, reuse, and recycling in each of your roles)

Nicolas Chevrollier | Associate Professor at Nyenrode (Topic: Degrowth)



-Musicians-

Herman Lai, piano

, piano



Production Team
  • van Lai Production
  • Nyenrode Alumni Circle For Sustainability
  • Herman Lai producer
  • Tamara Veldboer co-lead
  • Tzu-Wei (Velika) Hung event manager
  • I-Chun Chou visual designer


General Information
  • Date: 5 November 2025
  • Time: Doors open at 18:30
  • Location: de Thomas
  • Address: Prinses Irenestraat 36, Amsterdam (next to Amsterdam Zuid Station, Beethovenstraat, and WTC)
  • Admission: 20€ regular ticket / 12,50€ student / free admission for under 18


Transaction fees and BTW are already included in the ticket price.




Support Us

To make the event more accessible to everyone, we have kept ticket prices affordable. Inviting your family, friends, or colleagues to join you would be the biggest support to us.



de Thomas



de Thomas has always been a place for reflection, spirituality and personal growth.

The building of de Thomas was designed by architect Karel Sijmons and is considered to be the most important Protestant church building after the Second World War. The brutalist interior of the church hall is one of the 100 most beautiful church interiors in the Netherlands. Sijmons designed everything in the church hall itself, including the chairs. And the Thomaskerk has its own indoor theatre: unique for Dutch churches.


Event Photos
Agenda

🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:15 PM
Door Open
🕑: 07:15 PM - 08:15 PM
Concert & Talks
🕑: 08:15 PM - 08:30 PM
Tafel van Overvloed

Info: In addition to the main program of minimalist music and keynote speakers, visitors to the concert are invited to bring good things that they no longer use. These will be placed on the ‘table of abundance’, where the items can find a new owner for free. This is not mandatory and this table can be visited during the event. All kinds of items are welcome, such as books, clothing, household items, toys and games.
The only rule is that you take your brought item back if no one has taken it.


🕑: 08:30 PM - 09:00 PM
Open Discussion
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

De Thomas, 36 Prinses Irenestraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tickets

EUR 0.00 to EUR 20.00

Sharing is Caring:

More Events in Amsterdam

Curious about... Het lichaam als laatste grens
Wed, 05 Nov at 01:00 pm Curious about... Het lichaam als laatste grens

A Lab

NewTechKids Art&Digital Creativity  Bootcamp (8-12 Yrs): Nov\/Dec. 2025 (X7)
Wed, 05 Nov at 04:15 pm NewTechKids Art&Digital Creativity Bootcamp (8-12 Yrs): Nov/Dec. 2025 (X7)

Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA)

All Ears Club x NRC Podcast Team
Wed, 05 Nov at 05:00 pm All Ears Club x NRC Podcast Team

Mediahuis NRC B.V.

Perfume Genius in Paradiso
Wed, 05 Nov at 07:00 pm Perfume Genius in Paradiso

Paradiso Amsterdam

Eskorzo in Paradiso
Wed, 05 Nov at 07:00 pm Eskorzo in Paradiso

Paradiso Amsterdam

Perfume Genius in Amsterdam
Wed, 05 Nov at 07:00 pm Perfume Genius in Amsterdam

Paradiso

Psychonaut in Tolhuistuin
Wed, 05 Nov at 07:30 pm Psychonaut in Tolhuistuin

Tolhuistuin

80s90s00s Bingo
Wed, 05 Nov at 08:00 pm 80s90s00s Bingo

De Prael Amsterdam

JAZZ NIGHT
Wed, 05 Nov at 08:00 pm JAZZ NIGHT

Bickerswerf 2, 1013KX Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abel Selaocoe in Amsterdam
Wed, 05 Nov at 08:00 pm Abel Selaocoe in Amsterdam

De Singel

B'Rock Orchestra in Amsterdam
Wed, 05 Nov at 08:15 pm B'Rock Orchestra in Amsterdam

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Hamilton de Holanda
Wed, 05 Nov at 08:30 pm Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Hamilton de Holanda

Bimhuis

Amsterdam is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Amsterdam Events