TouMilou Music | Catalogue
Kairos Collective
The expanding occasional ensemble that Michiel van der Meulen assembles to record or perform his contemporary modal music. Kairos is the personification of the right moment, the time to act or an opportunity to be seized, perfectly encapsulating the spirit and atmosphere of the collective’s sessions.
Full albums
Album / expected October 2025
Smaller releases
Scores
On the scores page, you’ll find published original scores, a selection of unpublished origiunal scores, miscellaneous transcriptions of Balkan and Ottoman classical music, and a brief introduction to the notation system used (terms of use in the footer).
Selected testimonials
- Marius Roeting, New Folk Sounds (April 23, 2025; in Dutch): “a journey through beauty, richness of sound, passion, near-devotion”
- Madison Quin, World Music Central (March 8, 2025): “striking interplay of Eastern […] modal music and Western elements”
- Holly Moors, Moors Magazine (December 17, 2024; in Dutch): “he can work miracles live as well.”
- Dani Heyvaert, Rootstime.be (July 29, 2023; in Dutch): “A magnificent listening experience”
- Jan Willem Broek, De Subjectivisten (November 28, 2022; in Dutch): “a fantastic, unparalleled World album.”
- Marius Roeting, New Folk Sounds (November 20, 2019; in Dutch): “Van der Meulen deserves a statue!”
- Crispijn Oomes, MixedWorldMusic.com (August 4, 2017; in Dutch): “Michiel van der Meulen […] passed cum laude.”
Modal composition seminar
In 2025, Labyrinth Musical Workshop decided to give special emphasis to contemporary modal composition and the different approaches to it, as manifested by various composers of different origins. [read more]
Michiel van der Meulen will be one of the composers teaching a seminar in this series. His goal is to help you develop your musical voice and begin composing independently. [read more]
Traditionele Turkse kunstmuziek / Traditional Turkish art music
Omslag achterzijde: klik om in te zoomen
Dutch textbook on Ottoman music by Wouter Swets (1930–2016), first published by the Dutch public broadcasting organisation KRO in 1983. The book describes the music in terms of its historical and geographical context, forms and approaches, modal and rhythmic systems, and comes up with a useful graphic representation of sixty makams (Turkish modes).
The second edition of 2023¹ was edited and supplemented by Michiel van der Meulen. The book page is available in Dutch only.
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Vermeldingen en reacties / Mentions and reactions
- Roel Sluis, Wouter Swets: Musician, Composer, and Ethnomusicologist (1930–2016), in: A.J.M. Vrolijk et al. (eds), Prophets, Poets and Scolars, Leiden University Press, 169–179 (12 september 2024): “still regarded as a standard work.”
- Aad van Nieuwkerk, VPRO Vrije Geluiden Wereldwijd #7 (4 augustus 2024): “Zeg maar rustig een musicologisch standaardwerk”
- Nieuwsblad van het Noorden over de auteur, in een bespreking van de radioserie waarvan het boek de samenvatting vormt (5 oktober 1981): “Uniek door zijn exclusieve talenkennis en zijn enorme kennis van de Turkse muziek.”
Čalgija
Legendary Dutch ensemble that played Balkan and Turkish folk music and released three records during its existence (1962–1995): Balkan Orchestra Čalgija (EP, 1966), Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #1 (LP, 1978) and Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #2 (CD, 1991). TouMilou reissued the EP and produced, in co-operation with Pan Records, two additional full albums from unreleased studio and live material from the late 1970s and early 1980s: the ensemble in its heyday.
Releases on TouMilou / With Pan Records
Testimonials
- Marija Dumnić Vilotijević, Yearbook for Traditional Music (July 2022): “This edition is intriguing”
- Dani Heyvaert, Rootstime.be (November 3, 2021; in Dutch): “one of the absolute best world music releases of the year”
- Joop Wierenga, New Folk Sounds (August 22, 2021; in Dutch): “a great historical novel about the Balkans”
- Holly Moors, Moors Magazine (July 18, 2021; in Dutch): “A lovely, unexpected discovery from the archives”
- Jan Willem Broek, De Subjectivisten (September 22, 2017; in Dutch): “overwhelmingly beautiful”
Ordering information
- All albums except Vintage recordings (1964–1966) are streamed on the major platforms (digital distribution is handled by Pan Records)
- Use the contact form to order CD’s directly from TouMilou:
- Üçayak and Unforgotten: € 10.00
- Vintage recordings (1964–1966): € 5.00
- Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #2 (Calgija, 1991) and Sabâ Kâr-ı Nâtık, İlâhîler, Gregorian Hymns (Čalgija’s successor ensemble Al Farabi, 2002): € 7.50
- Vintage recordings (1964–1966) and Üçayak can be purchased online from the distributor Xango Music, and resellers such as bol.com and amazon.com
- Vintage recordings (1964–1966) is streamed on Soundcloud, and can be downloaded from the album page
Revenues of Čalgija and Al Farabi CD sales and Traditionele Turkse kunstmuziek book sales are transferred to the estate of Wouter Swets and used to cover the expenses of a continued effort to safeguard his musical legacy. TouMilou Music contributes to this effort on a pro bono basis.