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

Contemporary multimedia arts project The Seasons marks the month of June 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.

In her illustration of the arrival of summer (pictured below), Noll makes a playful nod to Francois’ beloved dog Claus who takes the pianist's place at the keyboard.

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

Ruler (JUNE)

On that most possible of days – summer yawns ahead,

the trees are tremendously green –

every desk in year six has to be scrubbed first

with a sponge and a shammy. 

It leaves a layer of water in the compass-

carved name, in the heart, the love, the I.

Loving someone in English for the first time.

I remember how that feels, a love that immediately stands the test 

of the long trip to England. Your heart is secretly galloping.

In our class there was a boy whose name, 

like mine, was never carved. During lessons he let

a gob of spit slide over his ruler, to and fro

and to and fro. He had to keep it up.

Lize Spit
Translated by David Colmer

Listen to this month's audio recording here