Etienne Nillesen is a Dutch sound artist based in Cologne.

His solo work is built around two specially tuned snare drums, their harmonic and resonant qualities brought into focus. The two drums are tuned in a precise microtonal relationship, a specific interval determined by the acoustics of the membrane itself. From this entirely acoustic setup arises a music of sustained pitches, overtones, beatings, and difference tones — sound that fills a room, changes character as it moves through space, and is heard differently depending on where and how one listens.

The music is patient. Small differences in intonation, pressure, and contact set things in motion. A single tone can open into a layered field; two tones meeting produce a third. Nillesen’s music unfolds in the relationships between sounds — fragile, in continuous slow change.

Each performance opens a space. Nothing is forced. The room becomes part of the music. So does the listener.

His work has been presented at Gare du Nord Basel, Forum Neue Musik Luzern, Meakusma, and Ruhrtriennale, among other contemporary music festivals and concert series across Europe, North America, and South America.

TWEE is out now on SOFA music.

Release concert: May 27, 2026 at Stadtgarten, Cologne

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“[…] en might just be the most revelatory snare drum solo you’ll ever hear.”
— Vito Camarretta, CHAIN DLK

“[…] once we let Nillesen cast his spell, an entire world opens up.”
— Peter Margasak, Nowhere Street