Profile Teachers

About the teacher

Alex van Abeelen is a versatile and popular trombonist in the music industry. Since 2019 he has been the lead- & solo-trombonist of the Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Airforce. Besides that he is active in several bigbands, fusionbands, hornsections and other projects. Whether you want to build a career as a leadtrombonist, jazz-soloist, popsection-player or an orchestral trombonist; with his experience and knowledge about the trombone, sound, technics and improvisation he can offer you whatever you need in the jazz-trombone course of Fontys Academy of Music and Performing Arts.

Biography

After 3 years of combining jazz- and classical trombone courses at AMPA and finishing his jazzstudies with Bert Boeren, Ilja Reijngoud and Martijn Sohier at the Conservatory of Amsterdam Alex’s backpack was filled with all stuff needed as a professional trombonist. During his studies he developed a unique style in lead- and section-playing and a sophisticated idea on sound. In his approach studying the trombone is a craft which includes getting to know how to play in as many different styles and ensembles, while creating its own identity as a musician.

In 2019 he started as lead- and solotrombonist of the Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Airforce and he’s a regularly asked player in TV and radio-shows. He also is part of the bigbands Paradox Jazz Orchestra, Red Light Jazz Society and Dutch Jazz Collective, hornsection The Hornaments, funk-fusionband Son Swagga, the Dennis van Aarssen Band and several other projects.

Vision on teaching

What is your dream about your future career as a double bassist? Have you ever thought about being a soloist? Or an ensemble player? Or an orchestra musician? A specialist of the double bass? Or a teacher? Just share with us your vision and we will guide you in the best possible way to realise it!

Although the double bass has been fully developed only recently, the last few years have witnessed a growing interest in this beautiful instrument. AMPA offers a course for this versatile bass instrument with diverse stylistic possibilities. Whatever path you choose, you will be trained to master the instrument fully with special emphasis on the flexibility of adapting to diverse styles from Baroque to contemporary. The course will cover solo and transcribed famous and canonical repertoire.

Collaboration with other musicians is always empowering. As well as being part of the string department, you will also be given the opportunity to perform with musicians from other departments and artists from the fine arts. We will also work together on creating your own ideas and developing your own projects.

In the Bachelor Course you will have weekly lessons with your double bass teacher (Ardashes Agoshian) and a rehearsal with a pianist to work on repertoire.

In the Master’s Course, AMPA gives you the opportunity to shape your own educational plan. Ardashes Agoshian will guide you in whatever you would you like to specialise in.

We are looking forward to you joining us!

Biography

Ardashes Agoshian is a double bassist, a prolific composer, music director, orchestral and choral conductor, academics and double bass instructor based in Amsterdam. He has played solo double bass both home and abroad in various places, most notable venue being Amsterdam Concertgebouw. His double bass made in 1890 in present-day Czech Republic by one the most famous luthiers in his time, Benjamin Patočka, as a solo instrument constructed as an imitation of the violin. 

He is notable for his compositions and arrangements numbering over a hundred. These have been performed in Turkey as well as in various countries ranging from Canada to England by such significant names as Prof. Cihat Askin and Steinway artist Sahan Arzruni. His concerto for double bass solo and a cappella choir named “Romeo ve Juliet,” the first of its kind, was world-premiered in 2011 in a joint concert by CorISTAnbul Chamber Choir and Ensemble Vocal from Hamburg. He has also participated in CD recordings for Naxos and other companies.      

Agoshian has recently completed his master’s degree in Early Music (Violone) with Prof. Margaret Urquhart from Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He has received his B.A., master’s and doctorate in Double Bass from Istanbul University State Conservatory with Prof. Tahir Sümer.   

He is also a Composition and Orchestral Conducting Fellow of the London College of Music. He also studied composition and conducting with Selman Ada and Orhan Salliel. He taught double bass and chamber music at the IUSC and is the conductor of the youth choir of the conservatory. He is the founder-director of CorISTAnbul Chamber Choir, an international chamber choir, and HayCappella, the first independent Armenian chamber choir in Istanbul. He regularly gave concerts with his Baroque ensemble at various churches in Istanbul, CorISTAnbul Baroque Orchestra. He studied as Kappelmeister and Organist in German Protestant Church, Armenian Protestant Church and Armenian Orthodox Church. He has also studied as guest conductor at many projects, staged by the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet. 

Agoshian gives solo double bass recitals, orchestral and choral concerts throughout the year.

Since September 2007, Marcel Andriessen has taught classical percussion at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg. Beyond providing a solid technical and musical foundation for his students, his primary goal is to support them in finding their own musical identity. During the four year bachelor course, he encourages his students to develop a personal taste and style, so that they are prepared to continue their studies at the Masters level, where they are given the resources to further develop into a successful musician. In addition to teaching percussion, Marcel also works as a study career coach in the Master of Music program. Marcel studied classical percussion between 1984 and 1993 at the Hilversum Conservatory under the instruction of Victor Oskam and Nick Woud. During these studies, he was particularly interested in contemporary music and musical theater. In 1990, he was asked to join the European tour of “Antigone,” a music-theatre performance by Belgian composer Luc Brewaeys for 8 singers, 2 percussionists, and tape. This tour was also the genesis of the percussion duo Konink&Andriessen. With this duo, specialized in contemporary music, Marcel played many stages both in Holland and abroad, and premiered compositions by, among others, Luc Brewaeys, Phillippe Boesmans, David Dramm, Jan Bus, and Harry de Wit. This repertoire is recorded on the CD “Notes ’94”.

Since 1993, Marcel’s professional focus is in contemporary music and (music) theatre. As a freelance percussionist, he has played with a wide range of musical ensembles and theatre troupes in venues throughout the world. On a few occasions, like with Dogtroep and Jan Fabre/Troubleyn, Marcel has also been challenged to perform as an actor. Between 1998 and 2012, Marcel was a regular member of Slagwerk Den Haag. This experimental percussion group focuses on collaboration between musicians and composers. Often, projects involve inventing entirely new instruments and playing techniques, such that simply “playing percussion” instead becomes “creating sound” by any appropriate means. Besides his work for Fontys, Marcel currently performs with several ensembles, including Champ d’Action (in Belgium), Slagwerk Den Haag, and the Eef van Breen Group (in the Netherlands).

Geert Baeckelandt studied at the music conservatory in Bruges. He received first prizes in clarinet and chamber music at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, and a higher degree in Antwerp with Walter Boeykens. This was followed by chamber music by Arie Van Lysebeth in Brussels.

He perfected at Hans Rudolf Stalder in Basel (Switzerland), a specialist in authentic performance practice. Geert Baeckelandt collaborated on a number of projects in Germany and France with the old clarinet. For three years he was active as a solo clarinetist with the Music Chapel of the Guides. He then joined the New-Belgian Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra I Fiamminghi and the Beethoven Academy. He is now a soloist with the Orkest der Lage Landen.

As a chamber musician he is a member of the Quintessens woodwind quintet, the Nota Bene ensemble and he performs recitals with pianists Paul Hermsen and Vladimir Sverdlov. He has made numerous CDs both as an orchestral musician, in chamber music and as a soloist. He was part of the Sinfonia Helvetica, an orchestra composed of international soloists in Switzerland. In 1988 he was awarded the title of Young Talent at the Flanders Festival. He has regularly performed as a soloist with Collegium Instrumentale Brugense, I Fiamminghi, Prima la Musica and the Beethoven Academy, including solo performances at the Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Centre (Japan). He is regularly invited as a substitute for the major symphonic orchestras such as the Philharmonic (Antwerp), the National Orchestra (Brussels) and the Brabant Orchestra (Eindhoven).

He is a teacher at the music academies in Tielt and Torhout in Belgium and at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg. He is also a lecturer at the Burg Freistritz Summer Music Course (Austria) and at the Académie internationale d'été de Wallonie in Libramont.

Biography

In 1996 Guus obtained his master degree for main subjects bassguitar and double bass on the Rotterdam Conservatory. He is active as a sought-after freelance bassist since then, especially in the Dutch and Belgian music scene.

Netherlands: Clazz-ensemble, DelMontis, Dick de Graaf 4tet, DTX (with Berthil Busstra, Spencer Croes), Elizabeth Simonian, E.T. (Jeroen van Vliet), Gare du Nord, Holland Big Band, Michiel Stekelenburg 4tet, Pascal Vermeer 5tet, Kim Hoorweg, Rembrandt Frerichs, Wende Snijders, Michiel Borstlap, Eric Vloeimans,  Auratones, Rotterdam Jazz Orchestra, Sensual, Wouter Hamel, Ben van den Dungen / Jarmo Hoogendijk.

Belgium: Tutu Puoane 4tet, Robin Verheyen trio, Frederic Delplanq 4 tet, Quintessence, Pentachrome, Bruno VanSina 4 tet,  Jef Neve, Kris Goessens, Bart VanCaenigem, Kurt van Herck, Tom VanDijck, Bruno VanSina, Dre Palmaerts, Mimi Verderame, Teun Verbruggen, Tuesday Night Ochestra.

Biography

Mathieu van Bellen was born in the Netherlands and started studying the violin in Belgium with Nico Baltussen. He continued with Jan Repko, first at the Amsterdam Conservatoire and at Chethams School of Music in Manchester, for which he was awarded a scholarship by The VandenEnde Foundation. He continued at the Royal College of Music in London with Itzhak Rashkovsky and at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, with Ulf Wallin.

Laureate of Yehudi Menuhin Competition, Wieniawski Competition, Prinses Christina Competition and Oskar Back Competition he is also a recipient of MBF, RPS Emily Anderson Prize, Philharmonia Martin Musical Scholarship Fund Awards and Making Music Awards. He was also awarded the Bach Prize and the String Player of the Year 2008 at the Royal College of Music. He has given concerts in Europe, Asia and the USA, playing in major music festivals all over Europe. He has appeared several times on television and radio, and he performed in halls like the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tel Aviv Opera House, and Megaron in Athens, performing with orchestras such as the National Orchestra of Belgium, Gelders Orkest, Holland Symfonia, Southbank Sinfonia, and Camerata Athena.

Violinist of the Busch Trio, Mathieu is an active chamber musician, having played chamber music concerts with artists like Shlomo Mintz, Michael Collins and Bruno Giuranna. With the Busch Trio he has performed in Europe, the US and Asia, regularly appearing in halls like Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Berlin’s Konzerthaus, Brussel’s BOZAR, as well as on numerous national radio channels.

In 2013 he founded the Scaldis Chamber Music Festival, a yearly chamber music festival in Zeeland. In 2019 he co-founded MuziekHaven Zaandam, a chamber music centre he is running together with his wife Maria Milstein, allowing musicians to retreat, rehearse, perform and record.

In 2015 Mathieu won the Grachtenfestival Prize, resulting in a residency during the 2016 Grachtenfestival. His first CD was released in November 2014, with solo works by Bach, Blaha and Bartók. Further CD recordings include Britten’s violin concerto, Brahms Horn Trio with Thomas Beijer and Rob van de Laar and a duo violin CD with Maria Milstein. He was also the concertmaster of the European Union Youth Orchestra and led several national symphony orchestras both in the Netherlands as well as in other European countries. Since 2021 he is Concertmaster of Phion.

Mathieu’s broad performing experience as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician means he can offer a variety of directions to students. His main focus together with solid technical work is to encourage his students to understand the music on all fronts in order to allow artistic freedom on a strong foundation.

Mathieu plays on the ex-Adolf Busch G.B. Guadagnini violin (Turin, 1783), as well as a Dominique Peccatte bow.

Vision on Teaching

Sharing knowledge and craft with the younger generation keeps me on point. More info about my vision on teaching you can find via this link.

Biography

Dutch flautist Leon Berendse is a renowned orchestral principal, soloist and teacher. He holds the position of solo flautist with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and teaches at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg.

As a soloist Leon performed both Dutch premieres of Christopher Rouse’ and Peteris Vasks’ flute concertos at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. He also toured Europe, the Americas and Russia with Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, playing Bach’s Suite No. 2 BWV 1067 amongst other pieces.

Leon has held the position of solo flute at the Netherlands Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra since 1987. With them he performed a wide range of symphonic and operatic repertoire. He recorded several discs including ‘Tour de France’ for which his ‘Daphnis and Chloé’ received critical acclaim.

Leon has a busy schedule as one of the Netherlands’ leading flute teachers giving masterclasses internationally, as well as coaching for orchestras such as the Dutch National Youth Orchestra and the Joven Orquesta Nacional de España. In 1998 Leon became a professor at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, previously having held a position at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.

He studied with Rien de Reede and Paul Verhey at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague and received the Nicolai prize for an outstanding final recital upon graduating.

He continued his studies with Geoffrey Gilbert in Florida and took part in masterclasses by Trevor Wye and William Bennett.

Biography

Kees van den Bergh studied in the early nineties Music Composition and Music Theory at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg. In 1999 he received his diploma U.M. Composition with honours and in 2000 he completed his six-year study Music Theory, also with honours.

Since 2002 he teaches analysis, solfeggio, harmony, counterpoint and orchestration at the Fontys Conservatorium (AMPA) in Tilburg. In 2008 Kees van den Bergh has been appointed as Professor Composition in both the Bachelor Composition and Master of Music Composition. He is also the coordinator of the Composition Department.

His oeuvre consists of compositions for solo voice, pieces for instrument solo, songs, choral music, chamber music for various ensembles, electronic music and several symphonic works.

The current compositions of Kees van den Bergh have a high degree of consonance and are influenced by Ancient chant, Renaissance counterpoint, Classical music, Minimal music and Pop music.

Kees writes on his website:

‘Besides composing, my great passion is teaching composition at the Fontys Conservatory (AMPA) in Tilburg. Since 2008 I have coached gifted young composers in finding and developing their own musical voice.

The musical style of these young composers varies enormously: you can hear influences of Ethnic music, Romantic Classical Music, Extended Tonality, music of the Avant-garde, Minimal music, Film music, Afro-Cuban rhythm, Jazz, Pop music etc.

I am very happy with this, because music is not about style, it is about quality and a proper balance between craftsmanship and musical expression.’

For more information about Kees van den Bergh and his work as a composer and teacher, check his website:

https://keesvandenbergh.com

Biography

I love challenges. Otherwise, I would not be a member of Calefax Reed Quintet. Playing in this celebrated group demands a different way of playing the oboe than normally taught. What I do is considered by many other oboists as impossible. It took a couple of years before finding the way of playing that made it possible for me to make it to the end of a concert without being completely spent half way through.

More than is the case with the other instruments, the reed on the oboe is one of the biggest stress factors. But it may never become an excuse. It is a question of mentality. Oboe playing is learning to trust, more than coping with fear. Trusting in yourself. Playing a little bit of oboe simply does not exist, you must give each note all you’ve got and play 120%, 150%. 

At conservatory they thought that I did far too many things besides playing the oboe. And I attended the conservatory for a long time, starting at thirteen. Mainly at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and master at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Photography, Recording technique, sports, playing in many different ensembles from classical to folk and jazz/ improvised. Everything that I have done has made me into the person I am now. Nearly everything I have done in the past, could be combined in my musical career. In my opinion playing the right notes as beautiful as possible is just a small part of being a musician, being an artist. Other skills and social skills and curiosity are maybe even more important. They will open the possibilities and podia where you can display your artistry.

I tend to enrich my oboe playing with trying to master other, mainly reed, instruments. Like duduk, tenora (a Catalan street oboe), baroque oboe and tin whistle. Besides that it’s great to play these instruments during concerts, they also help me to broaden the possibilities on the oboe. New fingerings, sounds and insights. It makes me more complete as a musician.

Music is one of the ways I express myself. I always try to get the very best out of the music and to play in the proper style. Not only in baroque music but also for example in folk music. Just like when I play Irish music with my little brother in Ireland. There is a carefree feeling about it. It’s not about the performance. In Ireland you sit down in a pub, you pick up your instrument, in my case the tin whistle or the oboe, and you play. At the end you say, wow, guys that was great! And that’s it. It’s a part of life. You don’t need to hold up a sign. Just be yourself, it doesn’t get any better than that.  

In music it’s important to find your own way in it. That might be playing in a orchestra but for others it might be chamber music or music theatre or any other genre. I believe that it will work if you believe in it. If you do, your audience will too!

Oliver is playing with Calefax since 1997, recorded 20 cd’s with the ensemble and has played more than 1600 concerts in over 40 countries around the globe. He gave masterclasses at conservatories and Universities in for example the U.S., The U.K, Japan, Hungary and Ireland. Calefax reinforces its pioneering role by publishing sheet music of their own arrangements under the name Calefax Edition. This has been one of the catalysts for the creation of many reed quintets inspired by the Calefax model, from Argentina to New Zealand and from the United States to Europe. Calefax passes on its unique manner of working and musical experience to new generations.

Biography

Mark Boontra (1975) studied at the conservatory of Rotterdam. By the teachers George Wiegel and Ben van Dijk an ideal learning climate was created to develop yourself. Weekly ensemble playing and classroom correpitor with the entire trombone class. Several international masterclasses were organized and other experts were invited regularly. This resulted in the perfect and above all a strong trombone class, in which competition and collegiality went hand in hand. After the necessary work experience in almost all ensembles and orchestras in the Netherlands, he was hired at the Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland in 2002, located in Eindhoven and Maastricht. He is also a member of The New Trombone Collective and the David Kweksilber BigBand. An ideal artistic mix to challenge and develop yourself as a performer. In the field of education he finds the biggest challenge nowadays. Creating an ideal learning climate for all ages is his mission. As mr. pBone he travels all over the country to give music workshops and he learns thousands of children a year how to play trombone and above all, he gives them the experience of how special it is to be able to make music together. Dutch trombone talents are connected in the Young Trombone Collective. At Codarts Conservatory Rotterdam he teaches Music Education, where evolution of music education is central. As professor at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg, he tries to offer his students the same as he himself is offered. A wide range of knowledge, freedom to orientate yourself more broadly, and working within an ensemble on the many competences that we have to deal with as musicians nowadays.

Biography

After his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Wolfert Brederode (1974) has been working as a musician and composer since. He has developed into one of the most authentic musicians of the younger Dutch generation. A refined and focused touch, concern for natural flow, openness to all kinds of music, and his relentless search for new horizons are characteristic features of his music.

He debuted with ensembles such as the Wolfert Brederode Trio and Quintet, Nimbus, the Susanne Abbuehl Group and later on also with a.o. the Wolfert Brederode Quartet, Duo Lijbaart/Brederode, Batik and the Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet. With these groups he has recorded, toured, performed at festivals and broadcasts throughout Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia, the U.S.A., South America, the Middle East and Africa.

In 2014 Wolfert initiated a new trio featuring Gulli Gudmundsson on double bass and Jasper van Hulten on drums. After two albums on ECM with his quartet, the first trio album 'Black Ice' has been recently released on the same label. Recent projects incorporate ‘Ruins & Remains’, a suite of ten parts composed by Wolfert and which features the Matangi String Quartet and drummer Joost Lijbaart and a electro/acoustic project entitled ‘Lemuria’ with Raphael Vanoli on guitars and drummer Samuel Rohrer. 

Wolfert has furthermore worked with artists such as Dave Liebman, Jeanne Lee, Arve Henriksen, Nana Vasconcelos, Mark Feldman, Matthias Eick, Ernst Reijseger, Tore Brunborg, Wolfgang Puschnig and Michel Portal.

Apart from his activities as a performing artist Wolfert contributed compositions to several theatre, dance and film productions. Wolfert is a piano and ensemble teacher at the jazz departments of the conservatoires of Tilburg and The Hague.

Reineke Broekhans works as a piano accompanist at the Fontys Conservatorium Tilburg. She also teaches at the Codarts Conservatorium Rotterdam and the University College Roosevelt Middelburg. After finishing her studies as a teacher and a soloist with outstanding results at the Brabants Conservatorium with Ton Demmers, she specialized in chamber music at the Rotterdams Conservatorium with Jan Gruithuyzen.

As a soloist she was fortunate to win prizes at various competitions (Edith Stein Concours, Prinses Christina Concours, Steinway Concours Nederland)and was a soloist in pianoconcertos of Mozart en Swerts. She performes with violinist Julija Hartig as an inspiring duo since 2000. In 2004 they were invited at the Nomus Festival in Novisad (Serbia) and won the third prize at the Concorso Internazionale di Musica da Camera Gaetano Zinetti in Verona. This resulted in a concerttour across Italy in 2005. Nowadays they performe regularly in Splendor, an cultural breeding ground in Amsterdam where musicians, composers and performing artists and public meet and get inspired

Louis Buskens is the primary teacher of choral conducting at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. He grew up in ’s-Hertogenbosch in the south of The Netherlands, where he was a boy singer in the cathedral choir (a choir specialised in Gregorian chant and renaissance music). At the Conservatory of Tilburg, he majored in recorder performance, music teaching, and choral conducting. After his study, he was conductor of the choir and orchestra of the university of Eindhoven, the Philips Philharmonic Choir in Eindhoven, the Bach Choir in Nijmegen, Nationaal Gemengd Jeugd Koor and, for many years, choirmaster and assistant conductor at the “Opera in Ahoy” in Rotterdam. He also worked extensively abroad, mainly as a choirmaster in opera productions. He prepared choirs for Valery Gergiev, Frans Brüggen, Mauricio Kagel, Jaap van Zweden and many others.

Louis Buskens began as a specialist of early music, but has become more and more sought after to conduct 19​th ​- and 20​th​ century music, thanks to his extensive experience conducting both choral and orchestral works from those eras. Now, he is the chief conductor of several choirs - the Brabant Koor, Nederlands Concert Koor, Noord Nederlands Concert Koor  - and teaches choir conducting at two conservatories (Tilburg and Groningen). Several of his students have won the prestigious Dutch Anton Kersjes Prize for conductors. Louis is also teacher of the famous Dutch Kurt Thomas Cursus, a yearly summer course for choral conducting in Utrecht, The Netherlands. For his work as conductor, musician, and advocate for the arts, Louis was knighted by her Majesty the Queen as Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau.

Biography

Nicolas Callot was born in 1979 in Antwerp, Belgium. At the age of eight he started studying the piano with Heidi Hendrickx and Levente Kende. In 2004 he graduated from the Conservatory of Amsterdam under the guidance of the Russian pianist Mila Baslawskaja. He also took lessons with Elisabeth Leonskaja, Jan Wijn, Malcolm Bilson and Philippe Herreweghe. Nicolas has participated in master classes with well-known teachers such as Georgy Kurtag, John Perry, Lazar Berman, Dmitri Bashkirov, Vitaly Margulis, Peter Feuchtwanger en Christopher Hogwood.

Nicolas Callot won numerous National Competitions and was a Laureate of the Brahms Competition in Austria. He has given numerous concerts in Europe and the U.S. and has performed with conductors like Philippe Herreweghe, Michael Schoenwandt, Frans Cuypers, Fernand Terby, Piet Swerts, Pierre Thimus, Ivo Venkov and Georges Octors.

He has regularly been a guest at the VRT (Flemish Radio and Television) and was invited to represent Belgium in the Eurovision Festival as soloist with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Schoenwandt.

He recorded a solo-piano CD for the label Phaedra, and two CD’s with his piano-duo partner Lucas Blondeel with works by Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann on an historical fortepiano Conrad Graf (1826) for the Warner Classics label. www.callot-blondeel.be

In 2017 together with Bart Rodyns he founded duo Zeitspiel. They recorded an LP and CD with works for harmonium and piano by C. Franck 2018. In 2019 they released a live recording together with soprano Griet de Geyter for the label Warner/Klara. https://www.facebook.com/ZEITSPIELklavierduo/

Besides the modern piano he also performs on historical instruments and was guided by Malcolm Bilson. He has a beatiful collection at his disposal that he uses for concerts and recordings. He strongly believes that the analytical and rhetorical aspect of the historical approach must find its place in modern piano playing and wants to play a role in bringing these two worlds closer together.

As a lied-accompanist he works regularly with Hendrickje Van Kerckhove.They made a recording with lieder and piano-solo works by Grieg for the label Phaedra (2017).

Nicolas Callot teaches piano (Main Subject) and chamber-music at the Fontys Conservatorium Tilburg (the Netherlands) and at the Kunsthumaniora in Antwerp (Belgium). He also teaches chamber-music at the young-conservatory Antwerp. He was assistant teacher of Mila Baslawskaja at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Besides his career as a pianist and teacher, he also works as a recording engineer and supervisor for different labels. www.nicolascallot.be

Koen Coppé is een van de toonaangevende fagottisten in België. Hij is sinds 1999 als fagotsolo verbonden aan het Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen. Daarnaast is hij een gepassioneerd kamermuzikant. Hij kiest voor puur, spontaan fagotspel en wil in zijn vertolkingen verbeelding en emotie overbrengen zonder onnodig intellect aan de partituur toe te voegen. Koen is vast lid van het fagottenkwartet Phenix, en wordt op regelmatige basis gevraagd bij het ensemble Prima la Musica, het orkest van de Munt en de Brussels Philharmonic. Daarnaast is Koen Coppe docent fagot aan de muziekacademie gelegen in Roeselare en Tielt.
In 2018 richtte Koen Coppé samen met zijn broer Hans Coppé het duo Coppé Bros op. Het duo streeft naar de uitmuntendheid en de wonderlijke samenklank die ontstaan als individueel talent zich mengt met passie voor
samen musiceren. Dit alles met één doel namelijk het publiek beroeren, meevoeren en een memorabele luisterervaring bezorgen.

Chris Duindam started his violin study in the preparatory course at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, with Qui van Woerdekom, later at the Sweelinck Conservatory Amsterdam with Maarten Veeze. He received his UM diploma and chamber music scores with successively Philip Hirshhorn, Viktor Liberman, Eli Goren and Emmy Verhey at the Utrecht Conservatory. In addition to his solo and chamber music performances, Chris Duindam is a violin teacher at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg, the Utrecht Conservatory and regularly gives masterclasses at home and abroad. Since 2005 he is part of the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam.

Vision on Teaching

My main goal, as a coach, is to encourage young musicians to blossom into storytellers and adaptable players, who feel very much at home in a wide variety of settings and styles. In my teaching, I try to pay a lot of attention to the maturing process of the student's creative ego. Together, we will work on fine-tuning the balance between one’s own personal creativity, along with the interpretation of the music and balance them both well, coupled with a positive drive and the high level of discipline that is required to sustain our profession.

In my teaching, I always try to set the young musician's own personal expression as a central goal and to provide them with all the technical tools and means, in order to interpret and make music as freely as possible, with respect and empathy for the composer’s original intentions and demands. During my own training, I missed out on the importance of paying good attention to the mental aspect of our craft. Therefore, I have immersed myself in this intellectual aspect of teaching and learning and, as a result, I try to teach with great attention to concentration, mental well-being and, consequently, free expression.

Biography

Edith Van Dyck is principal flute in the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Together with her mother Helene Luyten (piano) they have performed as a duo for over 26 years. In 2015 record label Et'Cetera released their first CD which got extremely good reviews in international press.

That same year she played the Nielsen flute concerto as a soloist with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, conducted by Stanislav Kochanovsky. In 2019 she played Kaya Saariaho’s “l’Aile du Songe”  conducted by Osmo Vänskä.

Edith was guest at the Storioni Festival, Arbanassi Summer Music Festival and in the festival Academia della Crete Senesi.

She was guest principal in the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and Holland Symfonia.

Edith began her flute studies with Silveer Van den Broeck at the Stedelijk Conservatorium in Mechelen and continued her studies with Leon Berendse at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg and at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Kate Hill, Sebastian Bell, William Bennett and Patricia Morris. Edith Van Dyck was a prize-winner at the Belfius Classics competition in Brussels and won the Fontys Concours for young talent in Tilburg as well as the J&J Brough Flute Prize and the Chris Taylor Flute Award in London. She was a prize-winner in the National Flute Competition Lions Club Beligium.

Edith has been coaching young professional flute players since more than 14 years.

She is also founder of the SUMMER COURSE for WINDS.

Vision on teaching

To become an interdisciplinary musician, I think it is very important to be able to be confident about your own possibilities. To know where you’re standing, being a musician, a creator, and to be able to communicate your ideas with others. Being a student, it is the ultimate time to dive into this development. As a teacher I would like to create an open and safe environment in which it is possible to get to know yourself as a violist, to pitch ideas, to try things out and therefore to grow. Developing your skills and sound on the viola is the very important fundament. Ofcourse we will look at technique and musicality through standard repertoire, but the viola repertoire has a lot more to offer than just that. Your input will be very much appreciated. Learning how to practice effectively will be a big part of our lessons as well.

Biography

Violist Lisa Eggen (1994) has been active as a versatile musician from an early age. She is known for her expressive, distinctive and communicative playing. As a laureate of several competitions Lisa got the possibility to perform at (inter)national concert halls, festivals, radio and television. For instance during a tour through the United States of America and Canada and multiple times during a live broadcast on Radio 4 while playing in the Spiegelzaal of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Next to her performances as a soloist, she is very active as a chamber-musician. Amongst others, she has been a member of the Dostojevski Quartet for over five years, with which she studied at the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Academie. Her love for 20th-century and contemporary music developed through playing regularly with Asko|Schönberg led by Reinbert de Leeuw and through collaborating multiple times with the DoelenKwartet. Over the last years she combined contemporary repertoire with other disciplines. For instance music theater, in collaboration with The Stolz Quartet, and opera, with the Dostojevski Quartet, during the Opera Forward Festival. Already from the start of her studies Lisa played in orchestra’s as a substitute, amongst others at PHION Orkest van Gelderland & Overijssel as sub-principal violist. In 2014 she was part of the European Union Youth Orchestra. During her studies with Nobuko Imai and Francien Schatborn at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, from which she graduated with high marks, Lisa also found her passion for teaching. Next to her viola masters, she followed extra subjects of the ‘Instrumental and Vocal Learning & Teaching’ masters at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Over the last years she developed her own teaching practice, in which she teaches both young beginners and advanced amateurs on viola and violin. The appointment as a viola professor at Fontys Academy of Music and Performance Arts is a longed for step in her development.

Biography

Deep roots, a powerful pilar and a crown reaching for the heavens. Every tree sprouts in simplicity. A small seed is enough. Time and space allow trees to grow into mighty giants. It is no different in music. Through purity and patience mastery is revealed. With his ensemble OAK, the Dutch jazz pianist and composer Sjoerd van Eijck (1992, Breda) touches the core of his music, as a fully grown oak exuberantly exploring the space around it and intensifying the colours of the sky.

With a sense of adventure, Van Eijck reveals the silent poetry that hides within the piano. He has an almost physical bond with the instrument. “The resonance of the strings, the singing wood. I most enjoy composing on the piano. I don’t need much, only a couple of solid chords. For me, the magic starts behind the grand piano.”

Over the years, Sjoerd van Eijck has refined his lyrical style of improvisation. He got his education at the Conservatory of Tilburg. Lessons from pianists such as Wolfert Brederode, Jeroen van Vliet , Harmen Fraanje and Rembrandt Frerichs impressed him greatly. Yet, Van Eijck took this experience to create his own sound. He plays in a humble way, ever searching the edges of silence and serenity. His touch on the piano is unparalleled. Melodies and rhythms are reduced to its essence – materials with which Van Eijck paints intimate stories. “I think very harmoniously. Melodies well up, sometimes I sing. New things always emerge from singing along to the piano chords. I prefer playing less notes to more. I live by the ‘virtuosity of elimination’, every note should be spot on.”

It’s time for Sjoerd van Eijck to step into the spotlight as composer and band leader. His ensemble OAK – which he established in 2019 – is a vehicle for him to realise this dream. Van Eijck has gathered fellow musicians who sense his intimate style to the tiniest detail. Trumpet player Koen Smits, bass player Alessandro Fongaro and percussionist Willem Romers add richness and steering rhythms to his distinct signature. In the sound of OAK, influences from free improvisation, classical music (Bach to Ravel), minimalism and the Scandinavian melodic jazz come together. “I tell a story that anyone can experience in their own way. The listener is taken on journey that is never the same”, Van Eijck emphasises. In 2021 the focus lies with creating OAK’s debut album, supported by talent development project Music Hub Brabant.
As part of the widely celebrated trio Mudita, Sjoerd van Eijck has gained a lot of experience. This worldly trio consists of singer Sanne Rambags, trumpet player Koen Smits and Sjoerd van Eijck on piano. Melancholic warm-hearted jazz filled with sounds of world and folk music. Mudita’s atmospheric debut album Listen To The Sound Of The Forest (ZenneZ Records) was awarded with an Edison (Jazz World Vocal/National) in 2019. Van Eijck also regularly shares the stage with like-minded musicians as trumpet player Eric Vloeimans, pianist Jeroen van Vliet, guitarists Anton Goudsmit and Reinier Baas, saxophonists Mete Erker and Maarten Hogenhuis, and many others.

When Sjoerd van Eijck isn’t playing, he teaches others the tricks of the trade. For example, he teaches at the Conservatory of Tilburg (AMPA) and music school de Nieuwe Veste in Breda. For Van Eijck, music is a lifelong passion which you share and embrace with as many people as possible.

Vision on teaching

Unlike other conservatories, Fontys MPA focuses on the music practice of today. As a student you get the opportunity to collaborate with students from other disciplines: from dance and theater to visual art forms.

In my composition lessons we will be working on developing your own sound and form – whether it is instrumental or electronic, classical or cross-over, pure concert music or a collaboration with other art forms. 

Moreover, I want you as a student to experience how the concert practice works – as quickly as possible. Your music is gonig to be performed by MPA students and professionals during concerts – also outside the school walls, because that's where you learn the most.

Based on my own practice I want to teach you how you can become and remain relevant as a composer.

Biography

Anthony Fiumara is a Dutch-Italian composer born in 1968 who received his musical education at the University of Utrecht. He has made significant contributions to the world of music through various roles in his career. While working full-time as a composer, he also had successful stints as a music journalist, radio program maker, and conservatory teacher. Since 2018, he has been the head of composition at Fontys MPA in Tilburg.

Fiumara’s artistic endeavors are diverse and prolific. He was the artistic director of Orkest De Volharding and Compagnie Bischoff. He co-founded the Amsterdam Electric festival, the indie-classical ensemble Lunapark and the independent record label Alaska Records. In 2022, he completed the Master Creator Performer program at Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, furthering his artistic development and knowledge.

Collaboration plays a significant part in Fiumara's career, particularly with choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma. Their joint efforts have resulted in mesmerizing performances that blend music and dance seamlessly. In 2023 they made the full evening production Echoes of Van Gogh, for West Australian Ballet and West Australian Symphony Orchestra. In 2022, Fiumara's album Vitreous Body was released on Philip Glass’s label, Orange Mountain Music, featuring the ensemble Slagwerk Den Haag.

While Fiumara is known for his orchestral contributions, he has also explored other musical avenues. For instance, he is part of the ambient duo Poulson Sq. alongside Mathijs Leeuwis, showcasing his versatility beyond traditional classical music. Additionally, he exhibits his electronic music prowess as a solo performer.

Moreover, his expertise as an orchestrator is highly sought after, with a repertoire that includes arrangements of music by distinguished artists such as Steve Reich, Terry Riley, John Adams, Simeon ten Holt, Erik Satie, Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, Massive Attack, and David Bowie.

www.anthonyfiumara.com

Insta: @anthony_fiumara

Facebook: anthony.fiumara.5

A figure of the young generation of classical guitarists, Johan Fostier holds four international contests first prizes (among which the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Contest 2001) and won many others. He has already recorded two solo CDS, two with the Take Four Guitar Quartet and, more recently, one with Belgian soprano Evelyne Bohen (Almaviva Duo). He also performs with French guitarist Delphine Bertrand, flautist Sandrine Desmet and with cellist Stijn Kuppens ( duo and string quintet). He performed as a soloist with the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra (in the prestigious Tchaikovski Hall), the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, the Kaliningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, the Orchestre du Conservatoire de Bruxelles, Prima la Musica, The Brabant Orchestra, the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic orchestra, and gave recitals throughout Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands (among others at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam), in France, in Italy, in Russia and gave a tour of 40 concerts through the United States and Canada. He also took part in radio broadcasts in Belgium, in the United States and in Canada. He created "Platero y yo"(Jiménez, Castelnuovo-Tedesco) together with comedian Vincent Dujardin in Belgium and also the "Plaisir des Sens" show with comedian Catherine Lambrecht. He is regularly called upon to play the Romancero Gitano for choir and guitar by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Holder of a diploma from the Brussels Royal Conservatoire of Music in guitar (Diplome Superieur summa cum laude), and chamber music (Diplome Superieur cum laude), Johan Fostier studied further first at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Musique in Paris where he attended the teaching of Alberto Ponce and where he obtained the Performer Diploma and the Concertist Diploma with the jury's congratulations, and afterwards at the Conservatoire of Fribourg (Switzerland) with Joaquim Freire where he was awarded the Diploma of Virtuosity summa cum laude and with the jury's congratulations in 2001. He has also studied during international training periods with Eduardo Isaac, Nigel North, David Starobin , and has attended masterclasses by Manuel Barrueco and David Russel. His musical thinking has been especially marked by his meeting with the musician, teacher and director Guy Van Waas and with superb guitarist Susan Mebes with whom he perfected his art. Johan Fostier teaches at university level at the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, and the Royal Conservatoire of Ghent, and also at the Music Academy in Forest (Belgium). He is regularly approached to give masterclasses in Europe, Russia and at universities and festivals across the Atlantic. Spanish composer Mariano Ferrández dedicated his "Tres piezas para guitarra" to Johan Fostier.

Fréderick Franssen(1977) is a member of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He studied with the renowned French horn professor Erich Penzel at Maastricht Academy of Music where he graduated in 2002 with honors. He performed as a guest player with orchestras in Germany such as the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Furthermore he was a member of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, where he played with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez and Seiji Osawa.

Since 2000 Fréderick has been working in the Netherlands; first with the Radio Symphony Orchestra and since 2005 with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.

In addition to his orchestral work, he performs as a soloist.

For Challenge Records International he recorded a solo album with horn concertos by Christoph Förster, Carl Heinrich Graun and Johann Joachim Quantz.

Together with Klaus Fehr Fréderick has developed the instruments he now plays and which are also more and more in use among his colleagues.

Since 2017 he has been professor French Horn at the Academy of Music and Performing arts (Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, Tilburg, the Netherlands).

Website Fréderick Franssen

Vision on teaching

Exploring – Reflecting – Learning –

My vision on teaching, first of all, is to help the learner to learn instead of teaching the textbook. The way you think about things and how you handle them, will be reflected in your learning and playing.Accordingly, I will often ask about your own opinion. What have you experienced in terms of your thoughts and feelings? Consequently, having the right self-criticism is paramount.

Improvisation is not simply about playing a (jazz) solo, but it appeals to your creative process. In a way, improvisation is difficult to be taught, as it can only be learned. It is still a personal expression of something, despite the rules that apply. So, I'm not sure that it is possible to teach how to do it. I think it's possible to say: these are ways how to do it and how it can be used in a musical context. Hence, I don't teach you, I'll make you learn.

At the same time, we approach craftsmanship. Here you can think of technical skills, jazz theory, style, repertoire and analysis. My attention is mainly focused on 'how' to play things. What does it express? We may start with the translation of the music and chord symbols. Then, when this is understood, we'll go to the next level; the interpretation...... the language of music, the idiom which is related to the style of music. This also can be done contrariwise as an exercise in solfege and spontaneity.

Biography

Trumpeter Toon de Gouw started playing at the age of 11. In 1977 he met pianist/bassist and composer Niko Langenhuijsen, who introduced him to jazz music.

Toon played in many of Langenhuijsen's bands and those of other bandleaders. He studied jazz and trumpet from 1979 till 1985 at the conservatory in Rotterdam. After finishing his studies he was appointed as head teacher for jazz trumpet at the same school.

Only a few years later he started to teach in Antwerp (Begium) and the conservatory in Tilburg as well. He played all over Europe, U.S., Canada and Japan in many different bands and orchestras, from bigband, bebop, free jazz, up to latin music, as a soloist and leadtrumpet player.

In 2002 he succesfully finished his training in acupuncture. He had many years training in personal development and did various studies in human behaviour, concerning help to people that suffer from all sorts of health problems.

This specific training and experience he has now integrated in his teaching methods.

Subsequently, he started a class in which consciousness and guided self-reflection takes a central place, intended for any jazz or classical student.

Vision on Teaching

Jazz History & Research has a focus on both the past and present of jazz and the historical connections between them. In the lessons jazz is considered as nowadays music. Of course students will learn about important musicians and styles of the past, but equally important is 'the here and now', as Miles Davis once described jazz. The main goal is to broaden the musical horizon of the students and help them create their own aesthetical views by listening, analysing and learning from music.Of course there will be a lot of listening, watching, and talking about music in class, but student will also have to do research themselves and visit concerts in order to develop their own views on music and musical skills.

Biography

Koen Graat (1977) teaches Jazz History & Research at AMPA. Furthermore he is involved as a promoter / programmer in two important Dutch festivals: November Music and Jazz in Duketown, both situated in Den Bosch. He also works as a promoter for Paradox, a renowned Dutch jazz venue in Tilburg that collaborates often with AMPA. Apart from that Koen is a writer for the printed magazine Jazzism. He graduated from AMPA as well as from the Academy of Jourmalism and Tilburg University (Cultural Science).

Biography

Annerieke Groen first studied theatre studies and completed the drama school in Maastricht in 2000. Since then, she has directed numerous musicals, operas and theatre productions. Between 2000 and 2021 she worked as a drama teacher and director at the MusicAllFactory in Tilburg. From 2016 onwards she is affiliated to the Fontys Academy of the Arts. She currently also works as a drama teacher at the drama therapy department of the Hogeschool Utrecht. Besides that Annerieke is a freelance director, dramaturge and writer.

Biography

Monique Heidema is a highly regarded Dutch cellist and educator. Combining a deep expressiveness with thoughtful musicality, she is well known in particular for her chamber music performances in a wide variety of styles, and performs regularly with other outstanding Dutch and international musicians.

In addition to being  on stage regularly, she is an inspiring and committed teacher. 

Her motto is: 
" Everyone who wants to learn to play an instrument has the right to receive highly qualified instruction! "

In this capacity she is Professor for the Bachelor, Master and Young Talent programs at :
Conservatorium te Amsterdam Sweelinck Academie
Academy of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg (conservatory)

In 2018 she founded the OCRUM MUZIEK FESTIVAL in the city Breda, Netherlands. Every year the festival take place in May/June and each year it has a different musical theme.

Because it is so important to Heidema that music is a means of connecting, during this festival many different kinds of musicians work together: professional, amateur, student, young, old and in between Ocrum Muziek Festival 

Monique Heidema commenced her cello studies at the relatively late age of 16. She studied at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam under Jean Decroos and at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague under Monique Bartels. 

She furthered her studies by participating in masterclasses with:
Mtsislav Rostropovich, William Pleeth, Anner Bijlsma, Colin Carr, Dimitri Ferschtman, Gerhard Mantel and Ivan Monighetti. 

 For many years she was a cellist with the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest and she has performed as a soloist with various symphony and string orchestras. 

She was a member of cello8tet Amsterdam, the Doelensensemble Rotterdam.  

The Dutch composer Peter Jan Wagemans dedicated the composition “Frage, worauf hoffen?” to her.

She has performed in recital not only in the Netherlands, but also in France, Spain, Taiwan, Sweden, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Hungary, United States of America and Russia. She recently made a successful tour to Taiwan and she has performed to sold-out audiences in St. Petersburg at the Philharmonie and the Hermitage. 

She is asked regularly to take part in juries and sit on committees, both for the admission and final examinations of the various conservatories in the Netherlands and Belgium, including the state examinations of the Schumann Academy, and of competitions, including the Prinses Christina Concours the stage4kids and the Maassluise Muziekweek.

Monique is frequently invited to teach in masterclasses and workshops, both at home and abroad. She has given masterclasses at the Conservatoire Superior in Salamanca (Spain), at Dordt in cello, (Dordrecht, Netherlands) at the Cello Biennale Amsterdam, at the Universities of Tapei and Taichung (Taiwan) and at Marienbad Nocturnes in Marianske Lazne (Czech Republic), during the Ervin Schiffer masterclasses in Hungary. She has also been invited to teach at the Talent Music Summer Courses in Villa Vecelli Cavrini, Verona (Italy) in 2021.

Monique Heidema plays on a beautiful cello made by Romeo Antoniazzi (1920, Cremona) and is grateful to the Dutch Fund Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds for making this possible.

https://www.moniqueheidema.net/conservatory-tilburg-ampa

Singing teacher, founder and Artistic director of the Music Theatre education of Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Tilburg, Netherlands (Bachelor and Master) Edward Hoepelman studied Classical singing at the Conservatory’s of Tilburg and Maastricht, where he also studied Opera for four years. After his study he took lesssons in Aldebourgh (England) with Sir Peter Pears. He continued his studies with Maestro Arrigo Pola (Modena, Italy) and with Prof. Hendrikus Rootering (Krefeld, Germany). With Bram Balfoort, Mia Kuipers (Sven Smit method) and Horst Coblenzer (Coblenzer method in Boldern, Switzerland) he studied breathing- and voice techniques. Many journeys folowwed to London, Vienna and New York for study: Jo Estill, Gillyanne Kayes, Anne Marie Speed and Paul Farrington for the E.V.T.S System (Estill Voice Training System), a very advanced singing method, which spans all voice qualities like speech, opera and belting. After that he studied with the renown operatenor and vocal coach James McCray. For several years Edward is studied the Lichtenberger Method with Ingrid Voermans. As a solo singer he took part in many opera’s, light-opera’s and zarzuela’s, and made several recordings for radio and cd with the Metropole Orchestra, Limburg Symphonic Orchestra and the Mariachi Orchestra. With Mariachi he toured the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. He had many shows with harp player Saskia Veen (Britten, Strauss, Fauré, Debussy, Duparc).

At the moment Edward Hoepelman is fulltime singing teacher and vocal coach. Many leading roles (from the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, England and Belgium) in musical, opera and music theatre repertoire have studied with him. He is co-founder of the MusicAllFactory Factorium Tilburg. He was singing teacher at the study Musical theatre at the Dance Academy of Tilburg, and at the moment he is the head teacher of singing and theory and artistic director of the renown study Music Theatre at the Fontys University of Applied Sciences. Edward Hoepelman is a many-asked masterclass teacher in Europe. He did the vocal coaching of many productions like: Essen (Elisabeth), in Stuttgart (Tanz der Vampire, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, 42nd Street, Elisabeth), in Köln/Cologne (Jekyll & Hyde), and at the international musicalschool of Joop v.d. Ende in Hamburg he gave a three-day masterclass.

During the International Musical Congres 2002 in Hamburg he was guestspeaker and member of the discussion board during a discussion about Musical education in Europe presenting the Netherlands. In Belgium he worked with soloist and the ensemble of the Little Mermaid-production (Studio 100 in Antwerpen). In Austria he worked in Vienna with the cast of Romeo and Julia (2005). Further masterclasses and coachings: Fontys Rockacademie, Musicallfactory at Factorium Tilburg, the Dutch Association of Singing teachers, the International Choirfestival. Musicals in the Netherlands where he coached the leading roles and/or the ensemble: Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, My fair lady, Petticoat, Miss Saigon, Sister Act (all Stage Entertainment), Hij gelooft in mij, Tita Tovenaar, Amandla Mandela. He coached also Nathalia and Silver for their performances in “Het Sportpaleis” in Antwerp Belgium With director and coach Marc Krone he gives many masterclasses for professionals. Lately Edward Hoepelman gave masterclasses/vocal lessons to members of the cast of Elisabeth, Sister Act, Mary Poppins and Mozart in Vienna, Austria.

Simon van't Hoff teaches piano in both classical and jazz/pop, practical harmony, and he is pianist at the dance academy.

In 2000, Van't Hoff got his bachelor's degree in Jazz Piano, and in 2005, in Classical Piano. Both at the Conservatory of Fontys, Tilburg. Besides his job at this Conservatory, van't Hoff plays in a number of ensembles (pop, jazzy, classical and cabaret), gives private lessons at his home in Tilburg, is member of the board of the VVTT (Theaters Tilburg), and is active as a kinetic artist (see YouTube for e.g. music boxes of Ravel and Mozart and a marble run specially created in request for amusement park "The Efteling").

Biography

Vincent Houdijk is one of the most versatile music artists in The Netherlands with an average of 150 concerts annually. The combination of his classical and jazz studies gave him an incredibly open and wide view on music. He is always open for all kinds of music collaborations and styles and therefor Vincent is without doubt a very open and even so spiritually minded music artist and teacher.

In 2007 Vincent created his band VinnieVibes; an intense, dynamic and irresistible band, which is highly appreciated by their fans and many music programmers. In 2018 Vincent Houdijk & VinnieVibes released their 3rd album Moreover since 2017, the intimate ensemble TRIFID has been established and features are characterized by their beautiful and spatial sound palettes inspired by the universe.

Houdijk has worked with, among others: Ravi Coltrane, Sean Jones, Roberto Quintero, Luisito Quintero, Anja Plaschg with Soap & Skin, Eric Vloeimans, Bart Wirtz, Bert Boeren, Maria Mendes, Teus Nobel, Arthur Jussen, Lucas Jussen, Ivo Janssen, Remy van Kesteren, Wouter Hamel, Kyteman (Hip Hop Orchestra), Mathilde Santing, the Residentie Orkest and the world famous Metropole Orchestra.

As a teacher Vincent is internationally well apprized and has been giving masterclasses in many countries such as:

• Akademia of Music, Krakow (PLN)
• Haute Ecole de Musique, Lausanne (CHE)
• Conservatorio Superior, Lissabon (PRT)
• International Percussion and Bass Festival Portimaõ (PRT)
• Percucyl Percussion Festival (ESP)
• SommerStryk Summer Course (NO)

Since he started teaching vibraphone and improvisation at the Conservatories of Amsterdam and Rotterdam he has created his own and unique teaching methods. Moreover he created malletclasses.com An online video course platform for mallet percussionists.

Reviews:

“… Vincent Houdijk is a vibraphonist for the 21st century. At times sedate, at others wildly inventive, it seems as if he's attempting to redefine the instrument's place in contemporary jazz. Further commendable is that he manages to do so without the benefit of modern sound-manipulating computer software, instead opting to utilize VinnieVibes' unique European flair both in studio and on stage. While comparisons to vibe greats such as Bobby Hutcherson and Milt Jackson are unfair today, there is little doubt that the talented young vibraphonist deserves and aspires to one day have the kind of recognition they enjoyed…” Peter Hoetjes (All About Jazz Magazine)
".... Their mastery is more evident from the vision with which they manage to draw long melodic lines, and keep an overview of the structure of Houdijks' compositions ..." René van Peer (Brabants Dagblad)
"... Zur Belohnung versetzen VinnieVibes einen Sternenhimmel ins Ohr des Hörers, statt ihm bloß mit einem Feuerwerk singulärer Brillanz einzuheizen..." Tom Semmler
“…Houdijk’s vibraphone playing is incredibly nuanced and melodic, and it locks in perfectly well with the rest of the musical backdrop. However, this release is also excellent because of the sheer energy and attitude this group managed to bring to the table…” Stacy Zering (INK19 Magazine)

MORE INFO:

vincenthoudijk.com
percussionfriends.com
trifidmusic.com

Ruud Huijbregts teaches Organ and is the representative of the keyboard department at the Fontys Conservatorium. He also teaches Musical History, Performance practice and Chambermusic. He studied organ, harpsichord and choral conducting at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg. Also he took part at many international masterclasses in organplaying and conducting. He teaches both organ and harpsichord at CKE in Eindhoven.

Besides his work at Fontys Ruud Huijbregts is Director of Music at St.Catharinakerk as well as City-organist in Eindhoven. He is also Artisic Director of Collegium Musicum Eindhoven. He performed many concerts as organist, harpsichordist and conductor in The Netherlands and abroad, and recorded for Radio, TV and CD.

Vision on Teaching

The Jazz Bass Guitar study at MPA provides guidance in your artistic development as a bass player. In the lessons we will focus on developing skills like timing, improvisation, sound, harmony, melody, technique, repertoire and composition. We will do this covering various styles, jazz being the most important one.

Together we will also try to create awareness and vision in your musical ambitions and focus on creating a practice routine that fits your path of development.

Our lessons will also include a lot of singing, listening to records and transcribing bass-lines and solo’s. To deepen the understanding of the music and your own relation to it.

AMPA has a great team of teachers which will guide and inspire you in your musical journey.

Biography

Freedom in music is something that fascinates bass player Stef Joosten (1996). It is the essential element that attracted him to improvised music. There’s nothing more exciting, fresh and organic than new music taking shape and developing in the spur of the moment.

Stef graduated Cum Laude at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. During and after his studies he was part of BABS, Coolhaven, Koen Smits Quintet and the Tiago Lageira Trio, he also shared the stage with Jeroen van Vliet, Harmen Fraanje, Tristan Refrow, Koen Schalkwijk, Hans van Oosterhout, Pascal Vermeer and many others. Aside from being active as a sideman Stef is currently active as the leader of his project TISOI in which he played with prominent national and international jazz artists, such as Ivo Neame, Morris Kliphuis, Mete Erker and Kika Sprangers.

Biography

Frank Lamm’s development: from a passion to a career

As young as 11, Frank started his musical career at the Waalwijkse Muziekschool. His passion: the guitar. After finishing highschool, Frank can finally focus on music fulltime. He continues his studies at the Brabants conservatorium, under the auspices of Hein Sanderink. In 1996, Frank graduates with distinction as a Teacher of Music.

In the aftermath of his studies, Frank attends several masterclasses, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Amongst others, he studies with Raphaella Smits (Belgium), David Russell (Scotland), Roberto Aussel (Argentinia) and Laura Young (Canada). In 1998, Frank completed his Master studies. In 1995, Duolisme is born, when Frank and Peter Thissen start their collaboration, travelling across the globe to England, Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, Netherlands Antilles, Malaysia and Scotland, where they taught a masterclass at the Music Academy in Glasgow in 2008. Duolisme also performed  during the 18^th edition of Iserlohn Guitar Symposium in Germany. During this time, Duolisme has recorded four CD’s, each in a distinct and individual style: La Guitarra Poética (2000), Ornamenten (2004), Retratos (2004) Dreams, Rest and Motion (2008), an album containing Latin American music and a Gary Ryan composition, written specifically for this album.

Unfortunately, after fifteen years of fruitful collaboration, health problems have forced Peter Thissen to put an end to his career as a performing guitarist. Consequently, Frank Lamm now performs as a solo artist. The CD Garoeda (2011) symbolizes his transition from a duo-player to a solo performer. Recently (2104) he recorded  his second album called PÄRT II. Also is Frank member of the guitar sextet ‘Gitaarsalon Roadshow’. A new initiative with six enthusiastic professionals on the road to promote the guitar and to experience the guitar with all its great to sounds and colours.

Vision on teaching

Music and entrepreneurship are closely intertwined in this rapidly changing time. Being a musician means being also an entrepreneur which should be pro-active, development-oriented, make things happen and grasp for opportunities. With creativity and innovation an entrepreneur is able to turn ideas into reality  and with entrepreneur skills the student has more tools to develop artistic freedom and to sell his or her own projects.

Biography

Joost Lijbaart (Amsterdam 1967) started playing drums at the age of 7, following his father Piet Lijbaart (Amsterdam 1933-1970). He graduated in 1991 with honors from the Hilversum Conservatory where he followed classes with Cees Kranenburg, Marcel Serierse Ali Un D’Aye Rose and Victor Oskam. With the Yuri Honing Trio in 1996, he made the album ‘Star Tracks’ from (a modern adaptation of European pop classics). In the 20 year history of the trio the group released 5 CD’s and performed on numerous tours. There were musical collaborations with musicians from the Middle East, India and China.

Besides working as a sideman Lijbaart focused also on his own projects, such as his own quartet ‘Group of Friends’, his duo with pianist Wolfert Brederode, the group Batik and his  improvisation trio with vocalist Sanne Rambags and guitar player Bram Stadhouders.

Joost Lijbaart is a player with many different interests. He has years of experience in the history of jazz from the 50’s and 60’s, played pop and rock, studied musical traditions from West Africa, Northern India and the Middle East and participated in classical projects with Theo Loevendie, Louis Andriessen and the New Ensemble.

As an experienced teacher Joost Lijbaart gives regular guest lectures and classes at conservatories around the world. Since 2016 he is also teaching at the Conservatory in Amsterdam and the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen. As a musical entrepreneur Joost Lijbaart organized tours and concerts in more than 90 countries around the world and performed at many major jazz festivals. 

Biography

Joost Lijbaart (Amsterdam 1967) started playing drums at the age of 7. He graduated in 1991 with honors from the Hilversum Conservatory. 

With the Yuri Honing Trio in 1996, he made the album ‘Star Tracks’ from (a modern adaptation of European pop classics). In the 20 year history of the trio  the group released 5 CDs and performed on numerous tours. There were musical collaborations with musicians from the Middle East, India and China.

Besides working as a sideman Lijbaart focused also on his own projects, such as his own quartet ‘Group of Friends’, his duo with pianist Wolfert Brederode, the group Batik and his  improvisation trio with vocalist Sanne Rambags and guitar player Bram Stadhouders.

Joost played over the years regularly classical percussion music of Iannis Xenakis, John Cage and Steve Reich and worked on several projects together with Theo Loevendie and Louis Andriessen. He performed as a soloist with the New Ensemble at the Muziekgebouw in 2016 in the piece A.Dhramé.

He was collaborating with artists from other disciplines such as dancer / choreographer Anouk van Dijk, dancer / choreographer Lonneke of Leth and writer PF Thomese.

Joost Lijbaart is a player with many different interests. He has years of experience in the history of jazz from the 50s and 60s, played a lot of pop and rock and studied musical traditions of West Africa, Northern India and the Middle East.

As an experienced teacher Joost Lijbaart gives regular guest lectures and classes at conservatories around the world. Joost Lijbaart toured in more than 90 countries around the world and performed at many major jazz festivals.

Prizes

1993 Europe Jazz Contest, with the Nicolas Thys Trio including ‘Best Drummer Award’. 

2002 Dutch Jazz Competition with Agog. Soloist prize from drummer Elvin Jones.

Press

Few drummers equal Lijbaart’s awareness of sound (....) it forces you to listen carefully 
- Volkskrant, The Netherlands

**** 4-star review: just warm, poetic and exciting originals (....) together they form a manoeuvrable, fast tandem for beautiful music 
- Parool, The Netherlands

**** 4-star review: with this album two Dutch stylists consolidate their status in the jazz scene 
- Jazzism, The Netherlands

The way Lijbaart transforms his drums into a lengthening-piece of the piano is admirable, to say the least (....) a captivating CD 
- Trouw, The Netherlands

Intriguing, exciting, impressionistic music

- HifiVideoTest, The Netherlands

**** 4-star review: this music triggers another way of listening 
- Jazz, The Netherlands

Sometimes, very rarely, one hears a recording that takes you breath away. ‘One’ is such a recording (....) here we definitely have something new 
- Brabants Dagblad, The Netherlands

An extraordinary album of two gifted musicians 
- Jazzflits, The Netherlands

This is music that takes your breath away. And to, breathlessly, disappear into 
- from the liner notes by P.F. Thomése

 Formidable musicians (....) a magnificent drummer, always putting the music first
- Parool

Splendid video and sound quality (….) four passionately playing musicians
- Nederlands Dagblad

Splendid live-registration of the North Sea Jazz Festival (....) a remarkable Dutch product 
- Kindamuzik

Lijbaart turns out to be a modest leader who prefers to perform among the others

Martien Maas studied classical piano with Ton Demmers at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg, and took masterclasses from György Sebök and Ivo Pogorelich, among others. He graduated with a bachelor’s in classical piano (1988) and a “Performing musician” diploma (1990). He also received diplomas in piano accompaniment (1992), wind band conducting (1988), and music education (1987). Martien is active as a soloist, accompanying pianist, and conductor. As a pianist, he has performed with Steven Mead, Peter Damm, and Walter Boeykens, among others. He has appeared on radio and television, and recorded several CDs. He has also performed extensively outside of the Netherlands, in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Spain.

Martien is currently a teacher, an accompanying pianist (corepetitor), and the chairman of the examination board at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. Many of his former students now hold positions in professional orchestras or ensembles. Martien is also active as a freelance pianist and conductor.

Jolente De Maeyer received her first violin lessons at the age of four. When she was 14 years old, Jolente was invited by Yehudi Menuhin to pursue her musical studies at the Yehudi Menuhin School near London. She continued her studies with Natasha Boyarsky at the Royal College of Music in London, Stephan Picard at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin and Augustin Dumay at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium. At the age of 6, Jolente started participating in several national and international competitions. That year she became the youngest ever laureate of the Jong Tenuto Competition and also received First Prizes in the Charles de Bériot Competition Brussels. Later on Jolente became a prizewinner in several international competitions like Cardona International Competition in Portugal, International Violin Competition Liana Issakadze in Russia (2004) and the Benjamin Britten International Violin competition in London (2005). She also became a semi-finalist in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2009.

Jolente performed as a soloist with the Brussels Philharmonic, the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonnie, Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Het Kamerorkest Brugge, Nuove Musiche, the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra, the St-Petersburg State Academic Capella Chamber Orchestra and the St-Petersburg State Academic Capella Symphony Orchestra. Conductors Jolente has worked with include Philippe Herreweghe, Patrick Davin, Etienne Siebens, Pascale Rophé, Silveer Van den Broeck, Dirk Brossé, James Stobart, Michel Tilkin, Stefaan Fraas, Alexander Chernushenko and Rudolf Werthen. In 2013 Jolente made her debut in America (Texas) with the Waco Symphony Orchestra and Stephen Heyde, where she performed Tchaikovsky violin concerto. This was followed by a recital tour with Nikolaas Kende in Texas.

In Belgium Jolente performs regularly in halls like Bozar, Flagey, the Elisabeth Hall, de Singel and the Roma and she participated in festivals such as the Festival van Vlaanderen, Festival de Montpellier and Menton. Furthermore, she has performed in countries such as Russia, France, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, The Netherlands, Spain, as well as in London's Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall and at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland.

Since 2003, Jolente has formed a duo with pianist Nikolaas Kende. Together they formed the Rubensensemble in 2007. Jolente recorded the 6th Violinconcerto of Henri Vieuxtemps in 2010 with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège with Patrick Davin. This recording received the René Snepvangersprijs from the Belgian Music Press in 2011. In 2013 Jolente recorded de 2nd Violinconcerto of Saint Saëns with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège with Christian Arming.

Doriene Marselje has been surrounded by music since before she was even born so
naturally she started playing an instrument at a very young age. Much to her parents delight she chose the harp! Luckily, her talent and dedication soon began to bear fruit; within a year she received the Young Talent Prize of the Gergiev Festival at the concert hall, De Doelen, of Rotterdam, which is where she also gave her very first solo recital at age 7.

In 1999 Doriene was admitted to the Young Talent class at the Conservatory of Utrecht
under the guidance of prof. Erika Waardenburg. She continued studying with Waardenburg during her bachelor studies at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in 2007.

In 2019 Doriene continued her studies with prof. Ernestine Stoop, obtaining her Bachelor
degree in 2012 and her Master Degree in 2014 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.
Doriene Marselje’s career as a soloist includes performances in some of the most prestigious concert halls in The Netherlands (including Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, De Doelen, Dr. Anton Philipszaal and Muziekgebouw Eindhoven) and in various countries around Europe (UK, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and Hungary). She frequently appears on Dutch National TV and on NPO 4 radio channel.

In addition to her solo career, Doriene is a member and initiator of various chamber
music ensembles and a much sought-after guest member of well known chamber music
companies such as RCO Camerata, IJ-Salon, Club Classique and De Bezetting Speelt.
She also frequents as a substitute in the The Radio Philharmonic Orchestra,
Philharmonie Oost-Nederland and The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Doriene has also been a part of various multidisciplinary performances. Wildeman (2012), a co-creation of Theater Sonnevanck, The Dutch Touring Opera and PhiON being the first. As a former member of KASKO she went on to contribute to and perform numerous original musical theatre performances such as Ik Vertrek (2015), Before I Die (2017), Welstaat (2018).

Doriene is a very active musician in the contemporary scene, and dedicates most of her
time to exploring and investigating new possibilities within existing contemporary
repertoire and finding new ways to expand the sound of the harp as we know it by
integrating live effects and electronics.
To add to that from a visual perspective and to be able to create an immersive
experience for the audience she works together with Tango Soundsystem (TU Delft),
with whom she created in a landscape

Principal Trombone of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn since 1998, Oliver Meissner is a graduate of the Hochschule für Musik in Würzburg, where he studied with Prof. Martin Göss and Prof. Herbert Kammleiter. He continued his studies at London’s distinguished Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a DAAD scholarship recipient with Professors Eric Crees and Simon Wills. During his orchestra career, he has been a guest principal trombonist for several major orchestras in Germany, including the Munich Philharmonic, SWR Symphony Orchestra Freiburg, WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and NDR Symphony Orchestra Hannover. In addition, he is a frequent principal trombonist for the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen since 2010 and has toured with them extensively in Europe and North America, including performances at the London Proms, Ravinia Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival and Mostly Mozart Festival. With the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, he has recorded the complete Schumann and Brahms Symphonies under the baton of Paavo Järvi. Oliver Meißner is also an active chamber musician, having performed with various chamber music ensembles. As a member of the Modern Slide Quartet, he has toured throughout Europe and Asia together with the Windsbacher Knabenchor. Furthermore, he has served as an audition training coach at the Orchesterzentrum NRW in Dortmund.

Vision on teaching

Vision on teaching - Ties Mellema (PDF)

Biography

“I don’t do styles; I play music. Not classical, not jazz, not pop, but any music that speaks to me and is a true expression of something. I am particularly curious about the music that lies between the styles.” Although Ties Mellema is undisputedly a virtuoso on the saxophone, he sees himself first and foremost as a musician. His craft is expressed in his continuous exploration of the outer limits of music.  

From classical and minimal to improv, funk and jazz – Mellema has inhabited the space between the established styles and disciplines for over 20 years. He plays all saxes, but the baritone sax in particular, suits him down to a tee; a large instrument that demands the player goes to the extreme, in every aspect.  

Taking on and then overcoming challenges and telling a story are always at the heart of his work. Whether it’s the false-polyphonic cello suites by Johann Sebastian Bach on baritone saxophone, the monomaniac Gradus by Philip Glass or the extreme free jazz by his hero John Coltrane: Ties always goes in search of the boundaries of disciplines and the possibilities on his instrument. He continuously challenges himself to retell the music’s story. He lets his instrument speak – as opposed to sing, as is normally the case.

His multi-facetted style of working has brought Ties worldwide recognition and collaborations with, to name but a few, Gustavo Dudamel, Concertgebouw Tracks, MTV, Tania Kross, the Four Baritones, Hans Dulfer, Remy van Kesteren  and Rembrandt Frerichs. Together with director Jos van Kan, composer Ian Wilson and stage designer Michiel Voet Ties made The End of Desire: a personal and abstract music theatre performance in which he incorporated his injury—an accident that almost meant the end of his career as a musician.

In 2015 Ties fell seriously ill for a number of years and besides playing the saxophone he began composing with electronics. After 20 years of playing in the Amstel Quartet, which he co-founded, Ties decided it was time to follow his own path. He claims that since then, he has been making more intense and specifically more intuitive music. You can hear that in his concerts and his own compositions. On stage Ties tells a compelling story that draws in the listener and takes him along on an auditory journey.   

Ties has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Netherlands Music Prize. Various albums featuring Ties, both as solo artist and ensemble player, were released by Amstel Records.    

Biography

Hardy Mertens is the head instructor of Wind Band Conducting within the Bachelor's, Master's, and Contract programs of the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. The curriculum is divided into three primary areas of study: conducting technique, composition/arranging, and repertoire research.

Hardy studied Musicology at Utrecht University, and Composition and Wind Band Conducting at the Utrecht Conservatory. Afterwards, he was a clarinet player and arranger for the Royal Military Band in Den Haag. Hardy is active worldwide as a guest conductor, composer, teacher and contest judge. He is also the resident conductor of Royal Symphonic Winds Orpheus Tilburg.

Vision on Teaching

Hardy's approach of teaching is focussed on individual coaching and monitoring the constant developments of global wind music. For more information please visit http://www.hardymertens.nl.

Vision on Teaching

“As a teacher I prefer to use a combined approach of an emphasis on the basics of playing jazz on one side and the personal goals and preferences of the student on the other. In other words: first things first, 'Don’t run before you can walk', but also facilitate the tools for developing into the player the student wants to become. In my opinion, the jazz scene needs properly skilled players who then bring their own uniqueness to the stage, instead of being plain copies of their teachers. I intend to do so by researching the jazz language of the past century with the student and then personalizing/translating this to his/her's personal needs."

Biography

“Teus Nobel is one of those once-in-a-generation guys that brings it ALL to the table.” - Grammy Award-nominated trumpeter Christian Scott (US)

“The future of jazz has risen.”  - magazine Jazzism

Trumpeter Teus Nobel (1982) is one of the leading jazz artists of our country today. After 10 years of mostly playing theater-/commercial productions and pop music, he changed the emphasis of his work to jazz in the decade that followed. Releasing five albums in seven years - “Flow” (2012), “Legacy” (2014), “Social Music” (2016), “Journey Of Man” (2019) and “Saudade” (2019) and being the jazz soloist of the dutch Royal Airforce Orchestra, Teus became an in-demand trumpeter in the Netherlands and abroad; playing and recording with (a.o.) Frank McComb (US), Frazey Ford (CAN), Candy Dulfer, Caro Emerald, Jef Neve (B) and the Jazzorchestra of the Concertgebouw. In 2019, he resigned his position at the Airforce Orchestra to fully focus on his international career as jazz soloist. He has performed in over 25 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Ghana, Brazil and Russia.

With the clear goal to research the intellectual legacy of jazz legend Woody Shaw, Teus returned to the 'inside walls' of a musical institution (Codarts, Rotterdam) in 2016, 10 years after completing his bachelor. He graduated Cum Laude from this masters degree in 2018. His thesis "Preserving The Fire" will be one of his guidelines of teaching at AMPA; researching the legacy of your musical ancestors and then translating it into a jazz language of your own. 

Teus Nobel is co-founder of the Paradox Jazz Orchestra, a professional bigband based in Tilburg, with the mission to keep the bigband legacy of the past century alive. He leads his own Teus Nobel | Liberty Group and is a part of the septet of Belgian pianist/composer Jef Neve. Other activities contain studio work, masterclasses/clinics and cultural entrepreneurship.

Vision on teaching

I believe that students should come to AMPA because AMPA offers a program which will help you develop both your skills as a musician and your artistic capacities. We have well-trained teachers who also perform much, in various genres.

I willI teach my students to make music in every situation. Subjects of my lessons: grooves, rhythms, improvisation, reading scores, solos, odd meters, and much more. All of this in various styles, jazz being the most important style.

My lessons are dynamic and laidback, but I avoid comfort zones. I will review your strong suits as well as your weaknesses with you. This will allow us to create a programme that suits your capacities and interests.

Biography

Hans van Oosterhout is the main teacher drums at Fontys Jazz. All styles and disciplines will be taught in his lessons. His specialisation is jazz music therefore his focus of teaching is rooted in the jazz. Important in his lessons is development of craft together with a high artistic level. After graduating from high school, he is immediately admitted to the Jazz Department of the Rotterdam Conservatory. Even before finishing his studies, he is offered a position as a drum teacher at the Rotterdam Conservatory, a position today he still holds since 1987. As a teacher he had students like Neil van der Drift, Jasper van Hulten, Mark Schilders, Arthur Lijten, Koen Lieckens, Tom Nieuwenhuijse and many more. Over the years Hans has established himself as one of the most sought after drummers of Europe. His music is heard on more than 100 CD’s. He has been performing with Toots Thielemans, Philip Catherine, Oscar Castro-Neves, Nat Adderley, Ivan Paduart, Lee Konitz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kenny Wheeler, Gary Burton, Benny Golson, Marc Johnson, Nelson Veras, Harmen Fraanje, Benny Golson, Jesse van Ruller, Peter Tiehuis, Deborah Brown, Eliane Elias, Dee Daniels, Dr. Lonnie Smith, The Metropole Orchestra, Kenny Werner, Pete King, Peter Hertmans, Richard Galliano, Chico Freeman, Harold Land, Von Freeman, Lionel Loueke, Johnny Griffin, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Gino Vannelli, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Sylvain Luc and many others. Both critics and fellow musicians appreciate Hans for his great flexibility and ability to adapt himself in almost any musical situation.

Vision on Teaching

Becoming a succesful artist or mucisian, is a difficult task these days. Besides a certain musical level, you will have to deal with things you didn’t even think about when starting your study at AMPA.

The main subject in my teaching is craftmenship. If you want to express yourself in your music, you must have the tools to accomplish that. We focus on technique and side-reading, so your overall playing will get to a higher level.

Biography

Education lecturer in Snare-drum technique (rudimental/classical) and side reading, main course Jazz-drums AMPA. Education lecturer methodology percussion/drums AMPA. Education Lecturer Drums at the Young Musicians Academy and Academy for Music Education. Hans graduated as bachelor and master classical percussion, in 1992 from the Brabants Conservatory. He also attended lessons with Nick Woud and Georg Breier on timany. Since his study he played in several orchestras: Brabant Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Filharmonic Orchestra,Gelders Orchestra, Noord-Hollands Philharmonic Orchestra. He also was co‐founder of the percussion ensemble Attacca, with which he gave concerts through al of the Netherlands, Japan and England. Today Hans is teaching at FHK, and as a drum-teacher in several places near Tilburg. He performs as freelance percussionist in many different ensembles and settings, and is a drummer in several formations and projects.

Vision on teaching

My singing teaching has been described as holistic, and I guess I understand why. In the individual lessons I focus on the vocal technique, building the instrument, as well as making the student stronger in body and mind and inviting the student to develop in musicality and expression. So they feel comfortable and sing with open heart and soul. I use clear vocal, technical exercises and learn the student as soon as possible to be his or her own teacher. That's very important, since they practice many hours on their own. If needed I use Qigong or breathing exercises.

What I like most is that singing is so very individual, nobody has the same voice, and nobody knows how a voice is going to develop. Sometimes students are surprised by the sound they produce. One of my students laughed after she sang for the first time powerful, free top notes and then commented : "Wow, now I have to work with this sound emotionally, I need to feed it with emotions and expressions belonging to this voice and repertoire ". And another student once said : "Ah, now I see what you mean, I feel the air turning circles behind my nose ", describing a first sense of resonance.

For me it's most important that the student feels safe and respected. When we are at ease we are most open to learn and pick up new information. Humor and self-reflection are also beneficial in the process of becoming a singer.

Biography

Margriet van Reisen has performed all over the world with orchestras and ensembles like the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, Ensemble Intercontemporain, the Percussion Den Haag, and many more, working together with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Richard Hickox, Neeme Järvi, Jonathan Nott, Reinbert de Leeuw and many others. She appeared in the Festivals of Salzburg, Melbourne, Huddersfield, Santander, San Sebastian, Wien Modern, the Holland Festival and the Grachtenfestival and many other spectacular occasions. Margriet van Reisen’s repertoire ranges from the Baroque (e.g. J.S. Bach’s Passions) to the newest music like Ligeti, Boulez, Schönberg and Gubaidulina. She performed in the opera houses of Toulouse, Brussels (La Monnaie), Valencia, Lyon, Antwerp and Amsterdam, where she premiered After Life, the groundbreaking opera by Michel van der Aa, that has since traveled the world with the same cast.

The recordings of Margriet van Reisen with repertoire by Ligeti (Requiem), Mahler (Das Lied von der Erde), Roentgen (songs by this Dutch composer) and others are highly regarded amongst listeners and critics. Margriet van Reisen was trained at the Utrecht Conservatory and completed her studies at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She was awarded the press prize in the International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch, first prize in Guildhall’s Schubert competition and she was a laureate at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels in 2000. Since September 2016 Margriet has started as a vocal teacher at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg, the Netherlands. She currently leads the singing class at University College Roosevelt Middelburg.

Biography

“…l’Harmonium prend toute sa juste place sous les doigts (et pieds) experts de Bart Rodyns…” (Concertonet, Théâtre des Champs Elysées @ Paris)

“…The only non-brass player was organist Bart Rodyns ,who did crucial and subtle work in ensemble capacities and as a poised soloist in several delights…”  (American tour, Early Music @ Pittsburgh)

 "…À L'Harmonium, l’organiste Bart Rodyns offre une présence souple et donne de la brillance à chacun de ses passages…” (Olyrix, Théâtre des Champs Elysées @ Paris)

“…Although its grand conclusion, featuring Bart Rodyns’s gutsy organ-playing, sets the seal on some splendid music-making…” (Review Gramophone @ UK)

“…Et on n’oubliera pas la juste virtuosité du soutien instrumental, dominé par le clavecin de Bart Rodyns, autre nom incontournable du programme…” (Review @ Aix-en-Provence, France)

Bart Rodyns collected several prizes at a very young age. He first studied organ/harpsichord with Dieter Van Handenhoven. Later he studied at the Music Conservatories of Antwerp and Maastricht. His principal teachers were Dorthy de Rooij, Hans Leenders, Joris Verdin and Marcel Verheggen. He concluded his studies with a Master of Music for Organ and Theory with the highest distinction.

Bart won several prizes at international competitions in Birmingham (UK) and Leiden (NL), and in Belgium (Brussels, Halle, and Kortrijk). He has made recordings for the Belgian, Dutch, French, Danish and Hungarian radio and was nominated for famous classical Radio: Klara’s Music Award 2010. In 2014, he was awarded a "golden label". In March 2017, he received the Culture Award of the City of Lier (B) because of his special merits in the field of culture. He plays concerts all over Europe and the USA.

The vocal and instrumental ensemble Euterpe BaroqueConsort of which Bart is the artistic leader and keyboard player interprets authentic music on historical instruments. In 2015 there appeared a highly praised CD with 4 organ concerts from G.F. Handel and M. Corrette. Recently there was the CD release with unpublished music of W.G. Kennis & Ch. Drymans (Label Phaedra). In October 2016 Euterpe BC completed the Integral recording of Handel Organ concertos (Op.4). He is the preferred keyboard player of Wim Becu’s ensemble Oltremontano (2 recordings, label Accent). And at the end of 2015, he re-established the historical ensemble The Party (1860) in which he plays the pressure reed organ, with soprano Hendrickje van Kerckhove, violinist Eliot Lawson and double bass player Lode Leire. They made a recording (UK Tour 1860) for the label ZeD Classics. And in 2018, together with Nicolas Callot he founded Duo Zeitspiel. They recorded an LP and CD with works for harmonium and piano by C. Franck 2018. In 2019 they released a live recording “Clara’s Heart” together with soprano Griet de Geyter for the label Warner Classics/Klara.

He works frequently with Les Muffatti, Oltremontano, Utopia, BachPlus, InAlto, Brussels Philharmonic, Osiris Brass, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, other ensembles and soloists.

Bart Rodyns also collects historical keyboards, his collection currently consists of more than 20 instruments including harpsichords (replica of Ruckers and Delin), continuo organs (Moors & Skrabl), an Erard square piano (1803), Mustel Kunstharmoniums (Harmonium-Celesta 1900 & Kunstharmonium 1913) , even a unique Mustel Celesta (1887) , other special 19th-century reed organs (Debain and Alexandre),... He is also appointed as organist of the famous Forceville organ (ca.1720) at Broechem. His repertoire includes music from the Renaissance up to contemporary music.

From 2019, Mr. Bart Rodyns is appointed as professor Organ/Harpsichord/Harmonium at Fontys Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) Tilburg in the Master of Music Program.

“…For me, the highlight of this whole Klara day was the high-quality performance of the Euterpe baroque ensemble, Director Bart Rodyns. They knew how to combine great professional skills with a deliberate and well-chosen fragility…” (Knack @ BOZAR)

“…On ne manquera pas de saluer les très belles prestations de BART RODYNS qui tint très bien la partie d' Harmonium”... (CrescendoMagazine, Théâtre des Champs Elysées @ Paris)

“…The Consort is an example for all baroque ensembles. Euterpe is not only striving for perfection, its members listen carefully to each other and play accordingly. The performance was full of dynamics and good taste. Euterpe’s playing was truly appealing with nothing being left to chance: all ornaments were right, the phrasing was precise and the agogic perfect. In other words, this concert was a pure pleasure for the ear and a delightful moment of warmth and relaxation…” (PZC @ Muziekpodium Zeeland)

“…Still there was a link between the Gregorian and Kurdish sound universes, in their shared purity, sense of infinity, power to stir and respectfulness. The latter term also applied to the deeply focused performance of the Euterpe Baroque Consort and Capella Pratensis and director Bart Rodyns…” (Eindhovens Dagblad @ Oirschot)

“…L’Harmonium de Bart Rodyns, par ses accents solennels, confère à l’œuvre l’exact soupçon de hiératisme qui lui est nécessaire, et dialogue habilement et de façon toujours complice”... (Bachtrack, Théâtre des Champs Elysées @ Paris)

“…During the interludes, I actually experienced a gentle wink and friendly smile to the soul. The applause was never-ending, which put a satisfied smile on all performers’ faces. It was a well-deserved ovation, as I felt I had witnessed, on that Sunday, April 1st, something ‘Flemish of incredible beauty’.” (Nieuwsblad @ Antwerp)

Vision on teaching

At Fontys AMPA the fantastic Master of Music degree program is challenging, while retaining flexibility in order to address each student’s needs on an individual basis.

In my instrumental lessons : All students should learn to bring ‘early-baroque-romantic-modern-new’ classical sheet music back to life : with the deepest respect for the craftsmanship of its composer combined with their own freedom, sound, heart and soul. This is why I am a keyboard player in the broadest sense of the word, I cover the complete history of music in my repertoire: from Renaissance up to contemporary music… With Organ, Harpsichord and Harmonium. That’s why I like teaching at AMPA as it focuses on the complete music practice of today.

The first connection between a new piece (old or new) , its composer and student, is the ‘right instrument’. I believe that each piece deserves to be executed on the right type of instrument for which it was originally written. All AMPA organ students have access not only to in-house instruments, but also to a number of beautiful instruments within the city of Tilburg, thereby allowing them to practice all types of repertoire on the appropriate instruments.

My students will also have numerous of chances to gain an introduction to basso continuo, or figured bass, and develop their skills in this field as it is one of my specialties on Harpsichord as well as Organ. Lessons in basso continuo bring many new perspective and skill to the art of accompanying, enhancing students’ improvisational and keyboard harmony capabilities while opening them up to a deeper awareness of (early) music practice.

Since 2005 I regularly appeared professionally as a harmoniumist with leading choirs, orchestras and ensembles including appearances at Théâtre des Champs Elysées (Paris) in repertoire ranging from Rossini, Franck to Karg-Elert and Daan Manneke… All students are invited to master this extremely expressive keyboard instrument with me. It demands the utmost in coordination and gives you a completely different view of dynamics. Therefore, it is ideal as an addition to another keyboard instrument or as a main instrument.

In addition, I am open to the specialization of others because I also want and can gain new insights, which is why I like to work with other (AMPA) colleagues. In this way, students get an even broader view!

So, with all my experience I want to train you to become a broad musician who is constantly looking for innovation!

More info: www.bartrodyns.be

Biography

Robin Rombouts (1989) graduated in 2014 at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten with teachers Martijn de Laat and Toon de Gouw. During his study he had lessons with Willem van der Vliet, Rik Mol and Nico Schepers, and masterclasses with Chuck Findley, among others. Since 2016 he is a trumpet player in the Royal Dutch Airforce Orchestra, playing concerts in the Netherlands and abroad. As a freelance player Robin played with many bands and artists, such as The Metropole Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band, Orchestre de National de Jazz Luxembourgh, Paradox Jazz Orchestra, Red Light Jazz Society and many more. His career is wide and varied, which makes him one of the most versatile players in the Netherlands.

Vision on teaching

As a jazz trumpet player in these times, you have to be an all-round player. Besides having a musical vision on the music you have to play, you also need to be capable of managing a variety of styles. A solid technique contributes to expressing your musical ideas. I think studying the trumpet is a lifelong journey and sometimes it can be confusing with all the different methods and visions around. In my opinion there’s no absolute truth about trumpet technique, but you can learn the essential pieces of every approach. I will help the student learning the tools to develop a healthy practice routine, to both improve their technical abilities as well avoid injuries. This lays the foundation for every player, whether as a jazz artist or a session musician.

Vision on teaching

The double bass, what a great instrument and what a major role it plays in music! The bass of course primarily lays the indispensable foundation under almost any style of music. But it also evoluated and imancipated into a full solo instrument. You will learn how to carry the music, harmonically, ritmically and with regard to sound. Playing the double bass is very physical, and to do this a whole concert long is very demanding for fingers, tendons, joints and muscles. You will learn a proper technique and how to responsibly build up power and stamina, you will learn how to get the most out of your bass without getting injuries.

Biography

Marc van Rooij loves laying the foundation under jazz, classical or tango, and all the other expressive possibilities his bass offers. He joins Qless (www.qless.nl) and the Rob van Bavel Trio, and he played, toured and recorded with great jazzartists like Johnny Griffin, Deborah Brown, Dee Daniels, Bob Mintzer, Woody Shaw, John Ruocco, Bert Joris and many others. He also plays in the Dutch symphony orchestras, tango in Grupo del Sur and Tango Extremo, and in the theaters with famous Dutch artists like Toon Hermans. He composes and arranges, and actively promotes double bass playing by children. Marc is also head of the AMPA jazz department.

Biography

A multi-awarded performer and gifted record artist, Vitaly Samoshko is one of the greatest piano talents of our time. Participant to many major festivals worldwide, performer alongside famous orchestras and conductors, teacher to young talents, he shares his impetuous and ardent musical love with audiences and fellow musicians alike.

Vitaly Samoshko was born in Kharkiv city, Ukraine in 1973. At age five, he showed such musical promise he was granted a very early admission to the Kharkiv Special Music School. Professor Leonid Margarius started teaching him in 1985. He would continue tutoring Vitaly first at the Conservatory of Kharkiv (1991-1996), then in Imola, Italy at the Accademia Pianistica “Incontri col Maestro”.

As an international piano prize winner, Vitaly’s talent attracted critical attention when he was awarded with 2nd prizes at the 1993 F. Busoni Competition, 1995 Senigallia International Piano Competition, 1996 Concours International de Piano de Montréal and 1998 A. Rubinstein Piano Master Competition. In 1999, a first prize in the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium firmly established his rising musical star and brought his solo career to a worldwide soar. He has since performed in over 25 countries, such as Zurichs Tonhalle, Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Metropolitan Museum and Steinway Hall in New York, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Beethovenhalle in Bonn and Japanese Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall, Okayama Symphony Hall, the Kyoto Concert Hall and Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires.

Samoshko has contributed to many major festivals, amongst which the Klavier Festival Ruhr in Germany, French Festival de Montpellier Radio France and Festival de Besançon, the Festival Música Romântica in Switzerland, Yokohama International Piano Festival in Japan, Savannah Onstage Festival in the United States, the Canadian Festival International de Lanaudière, the Festival d’Echternach and Bourglinster Festival in Luxembourg, the Chopin Piano Festival in Poland as well as Belgian Festival of Flanders, Festival d’Aulne and Festival de Wallonie in Belgium.

During his many musical travels, he has enjoyed the honour of performing with world-class orchestras such as the Tokyo Philharmonic, the New Japan Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Orchestre National de Belgique, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, Orchester der Beethovenhalle, the St. Petersburg State Symphony and Orchestre National de Lille.

Though a young performer, he has collaborated with some outstanding and acclaimed conductors, establishing partnerships with resounding names such as Charles Dutoit, Edvard Tchivzhel, Marc Soustrot, Gilbert Varga, Mendi Rodan, Georges Octors, Kazufumi Yamashita, David Shallon, Arthur Fagen, Otaka Tadaaki, Louis Langrée, Paul Daniel and David Angus.

Finally, his track record includes a number of recorded broadcasts for Radio Suisse Romande in Geneva, Westdeutscher Rundfunk in Cologne, Klara and “Musique 3” in Brussels. He has also recorded with various labels and TV stations.

In 2001, Vitaly made Belgium his second home. The relocation has made his career thrive. In 2003, he recorded a double CD with the new label Lineair Art Transfer. The recording features works by Schubert, Schumann, Scriabin and Prokofiev (LAT 2003-01). His second album, Piano Studies Scriabin (LAT 2005-02), was prestigiously awarded ‘Best international CD 2005’ by Classic Radio Klara (VRT). His third CD, the 2006 rendition of Rachmanoff’s ‘Les Etudes-Tableaux’ (LAT 2006-03), completes an outstanding recording triptych. Regularly invited to give master classes a 2005 professor appointment at the Conservatory of Ghent confirmed academic appreciation for his outstanding track record. From 2007 onwards he is a jury member and adviser for international competitions.

The latest in the serie of records is the release in May 2009 of a DVD & CD (LAT 2009-04), containing a magnum opus, the Pianoconcerto N°3, in D minor, op.30 of Sergei Rachmaninoff. In concert Vitaly Samoshko with the Symfonie.orkest.vlaanderen, conducted by Jonas Alber. (Live recording – De Blauwe Zaal the Singel – Antwerp, 30th November 2008). In the course of this extraordinary professional journey, Vitaly Samoshko has developed himself into a remarkable soloist. His performances have come to demonstrate a highly developed, subtle and enchanting musical personality, excelling both in concert programs and recordings. Thanks to his outstanding experiences alongside leading world orchestras and conductors, Vitaly Samoshko considers performing alongside them not just as a privilege but also as so many glorious moments of joy.

Jacq Sanders was born in Venlo, The Netherlands in 1961. He studied trumpet and conducting at the Conservatorium Maastricht from 1980 to 1986. He is currently Professor of Trumpet at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg, The Netherlands, where he teaches classical trumpet performance. As a freelance orchestral player, Jacq has played with several professional orchestras and chamber orchestras in The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. In 1999, Jacq was appointed as 2nd trumpet of The Arnheim Philharmonic Orchestra (Het Gelders Orkest), since 2020 called Phion, Philharmonie Oost Nederland. Jacq is also in demand as a soloist, coach of brass groups, and conductor of wind bands.

“What lies behind you and what lies ahead of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Vision on teaching

For me, with the passing of time, teaching has evolved into sharing more and more. It is not purely the passing of knowledge, but merely an exchange of energy, knowledge, inspiration, enthusiasm, skills and passion. Of course there is expertise on a great deal of subjects which allow me to work on several necessary skills. Skills in terms of technique, phrasing, developing an analytic ear, timing, improvisation, lyric writing, arranging, making music together, telling a story through music. How to perform on a stage, expanding knowledge of repertoire, by getting you acquainted with many different styles of music and even more, different ways of using your voice; lyrically, melodically, free, expressive, experimental, small or grand and compelling. And all of that, without so much judgement, in a quest for your unique sound. With this ultimate goal, to bring forward your authentic musical personality. In our auditions, we are constantly looking for this personality. Maybe not so strong yet, maybe only shimmering through, but inevitably necessary for this profession. For me, the challenge of teaching is to find a balance between passing knowledge, skills and curiosity and to cherish the individuality of a student to have it blossom.

Biography

Jazz singer and songwriter Paulien van Schaik studied at the Conservatory of Utrecht and at Berklee College of music in Boston. She sang with numerous bands, at musical theatre shows, with a gospel choir, and performed as a singer songwriter. After her studies she started a collaboration with bass player Hein van de Geyn. Together they recorded 3 cd's, inviting trumpeter Bert Joris as a special guest on one of them. ('In Summer) They toured national and international jazz stages extensively. The duo, that mainly plays standard jazz repertoire, received an Edison Award (Dutch Grammy) for their first live recording. (‘Tenderly). Meanwhile Paulien’s focus is more and more on writing her own repertoire. With pianist Mike Boddé she did some try out concerts with mostly new repertoire. Plans for recording these songs are being made.

In 2007 Paulien was invited do start a vocal jazz class at the conservatory of Tilburg, where she is teaching ever since, building a solid and safe educational environment where singers can bloom and grow. Every year she tours different conservatories in Holland, when invited do be an external committee member for exams at the conservatories of Maastricht, Den Haag, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Amsterdam.

Pianist & fortepianist Keiko Shichijo is a special voice in both the Classical and new music worlds. Her traditional Japanese sensibilities combined with her knowledge of European historical performance practices shape her unique vision, and this is reflected in her feeling for the music, the instruments and the story behind them.

Hailing from Japan and residing in the Netherlands for more than a decade, she is active around the world playing both solo and chamber music. She is a prizewinner in many international competitions, including twice the International Early Music Competition (solo and duo) in Brugge, Belgium, the International Early Music Competition "A Tre" in Trossingen in Germany and the Minkoff Prize from the music publisher, Edition Minkoff, and has performed in many international festivals such as the festivals Printemps Des Arts (France), Utrecht Oude Muziek Festival (Holland), MA Festival (Belgium), La Folle Journée Tokyo (Japan). In 2012, the Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments in Japan released her first fortepiano solo CD of works by Schubert. Her second solo CD “6 Dances by Komitas Vardapet”, released in 2016, earned unanimous praise in the international press and was featured on the national Dutch TV program Vrije Geluiden.

Keiko Shichijo has a violin/fortepiano duo with renowned violinist Cecilia Bernardini which performs regularly throughout Europe.

As a specialist in contemporary music Keiko has worked with many composers, including Helmut Lachenmann, Tom Johnson, Johannes Kalitzke, Jürg Frey, Roscoe Mitchell en Bernhard Lang. Recently she premiered a concerto with the Janacek Philharmonic.

“..purity of sounds-breathtaking…” “..Her sound filled the hall as one huge warm blanket…”

Since September 2017 she teaches piano and fortepiano at the Fontys Academy for Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg.

Keiko Shichijo studied fortepiano with Stanley Hoogland and organ with Pieter van Dijk at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and specialized contemporary music with Daan Vandewalle in Royal Conservatory of Ghent in Belgium.

Etienne Siebens’ rise as conductor to international musical prominence has been an astonishing phenomenon. Early on in his career, he was invited to give guest performances with several orchestras in Belgium and The Netherlands. Invitations from England, Germany, Italy, France and Spain were soon to follow. The press wrote about him that he was: “… the coming-man in the conducting-poor Belgium…”

He studied conducting under Lucas Vis, Hiroyuki Iwaki and Jorma Panula. His repertoire ranges from music of the seventeenth century to contemporary work and encompasses all genres: symphonic, operatic and chamber. National and international reviews are unanimously favourable.

From 1992 till 2008 Etienne Siebens was the artistic leader and concert director of the Prometheus Ensemble which he himself had founded. During this period the Prometheus Ensemble became one of the most important ensembles worldwide due to its distinct character. They were invited to perform in renowned concert series and at festivals at home and abroad, such as the Festival of Flanders, Festival Musica Strassbourg, Festival Octobre and Normandy, Convent Garden Festival and the Festival Académies Musical de Saintes. In 2013 Etienne Siebens conducted at the prestigious opera festival in Aix-en-Provence and a tour through Europe. In June 2014 Siebens will conduct a new opera from Martijn Padding with “De Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam”.

In 2001 Siebens was appointed permanent guest conductor from the Flemish Radio Orchestra. In 2002 he successfully conducted the Holland Festival production ‘Karkas’ by De Bondt. In addition to this, Amsterdam Sinfonietta invited him to perform in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Siebens also gave a series of concerts together with the Nederlands Blazersensemble, performing Andriessen's “De Staat”, Asko/Schönberg performing Harisson Birtwistle’s ‘Theseus Game’ in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Klangforum Wien during the Festival Wien Modern, concert and the world premiere of a new opera by Luca Francesconi. After that Etienne Siebens has been invited to conduct concerts with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, The Hague Philharmonic, Asko| Schönberg, MusikFabrik, Klangforum Wien, Psappha Ensemble, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the Dutch Radio Chamber Orchestra, the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, L’Orchestre de l’opera de Rouen, Ghent's Collegium Vocale and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra.

Recently cd-recordings were released of performances with The Hague Philharmonic, Klangforum Wien, the Flemish Symphony Orchestra (a cd-box containing a four disk live recording), the Radio Chamber Orchestra with music of Michael van der Aa and a recording with Asko|Schönberg with the work of Martijn Padding.

Siebens worked with soloists such as Hannigan, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, José van Dam, Christianne Stotijn, Quirine Viersen, Frank Braley, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Claron McFadden and Pieter Wispelwey. He also worked very closely with composers as: Maurico Kagel, György Kurtag, Peter Eötvös, Luca Francesconi, Michel Van der Aa, Louis Andriessen, Harisson Birtwistle, P.M.Davies, Philippe Boesmans.

Etienne Siebens was the Artistic Director of the Prometheus Ensemble and from 2004 till 2010 chief-conductor from the Flemisch Symphony Orchestra. Recently he became ‘Artist in Residence’ of Solisti del Vento and permanent guest conductor of Asko|Schönberg.

Vision on Teaching

I see teaching much as the famous pedagogue Ivan Galamian did when he wrote that: “the teacher must always bear in mind that the highest goal should be for him to make the student self-sufficient.” This means that I turn my attention to helping my students develop strong fundamentals in terms of tone production, intonation, articulation and rhythm. These fundamentals are a basis on which young violists can develop in any direction they choose. I also strive to help my students understand the vast array of possible approaches they might take to performing musical works and encourage them to develop independent and personal musical interpretations. My own broad background as a performer means I can help students develop in a wide variety of directions, depending on their interests. I am an active chamber musician and orchestral musician as well as an avid performer of contemporary music. I feel equally at home teaching the music of Bach and Birtwhistle. My work on historical recordings and 19th century performance style also means that I can help students take a free and creative approach to much of the viola’s core repertoire.

Biography

Violist Emlyn Stam is active as a chamber musician, soloist, pedagogue and performance researcher in the Netherlands and internationally. Since 2014 he has been artistic director of the New European Ensemble an international ensemble for contemporary and 20th century music.

As a soloist Emlyn Stam has made numerous appearances for Dutch radio and television. He performed concertos with the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra d’Espinho (Portugal) and the Schönberg Ensemble. Emlyn has also performed at numerous festivals such as Festival Vlaanderen, the Kuhmo Festival in Finland, Sound of Stockholm, Connect Festival, Giverny Chamber Music Festival, International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht and Grachtenfestival Amterdam. His many chamber music performances have included concerts with the Parkanyi Quartet and regular appearances with the Ysaÿe Trio of which he is a founding member. The trio released two c.d.’s for the Dutch Record Company. 

As a teacher Emlyn regularly gives masterclasses in both viola playing and chamber music. He taught at numerous conservatories in the Netherlands, Estonia, China and Sweden. He currently teaches at the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts in Tilburg.

Emlyn is an active music researcher and completed his doctorate at the Academy for Creative and Performing Arts at the Leiden University in 2019 with a dissertation entitle In Search of a Lost Language: Performing in Early-Recorded Style in Viola and String Quartet Repertoires. His research focuses on late 19th and early 20th century performance practices. He is regularly invited to give guest lectures on his research such as at the University of Leeds, the Hochschule der Künste in Bern and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.

Vision on Teaching

The conservative approach of history with dates, years and events hardly apply to my lessons. The stylistic period we labelled 'contemporary music' deals with music written from roughly 1900 until now. The fact that lot of music in this era is unheard material for many students makes it a fantastic subject to teach, and allow me to focus on developments, compositional techniques and above all a heightened awareness towards sound, timbres and technology. Calling music written in the last 10/15 years 'history' (as the title of the course suggests) forces us to redefine the term. This can only be done by relating it to music that we agree on being coined 'historical'. To - for example - understand the letter exchange between Rudolf Escher and Peter Schat, one also needs to understand the opposing sides in music’s great ideological battle between Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler.

Personally, as an active musician and composer myself, I feel a special relation to this type of questions. The awareness that (music) history is human-made creates an opportunity and responsibility to everyone involved in it. Not only historians or musicologists writing books, but also musicians are keeping the history alive. The creation of sound in the broadest sense is a contribution to the history of it.

Biography

Pioneering guitarist Aart Strootman (1987) throws a solid knock on the door of the music business of our times. His intellect and frank, fresh view on musical genres and styles justify a most prominent position in the music scene. His carreer started during highschool, when he received lessons from Dick Hoogeveen and Jorge Oraison at the Rotterdam conservatory. After secondary school he continued his studies in Tilburg with Hein Sanderink, obtaining his Bachelor's in Music cum laude in 2008. Subsequent studies with Marlon Titre, Elliott Fisk and Scott Tennant resulted in a cum laude Master's in Music with the highest grade (10/10) at Conservatory Fontys & Zuyd in 2010. At the same institute he graduated with a Master's in Music Theory and at the University of Utrecht he obtained a MA in Musicology. Since 2009 Aart Strootman teaches music history, (advanced) eartraining, analysis, philosophy and performance studies at the Fontys School of Arts in Tilburg. With percussionist Arnold Marinissen he is artistic leader of contemporary music ensemble F.C. Jongbloed. An ensemble commisioning new works by students composition from all over the Netherlands combined with material from the most recent music history. He is a member of a collective of composers programming the contemporary chamber music series De Link in Tilburg. In Strootman / Stadhouders, a duo with guitarist Bram Stadhouders, he plays music that blends improvised and minimal music. In 2012 he found minimalchamber-metal band TEMKO. Besides that he regularly plays guitar at ensemble Lunatree, Klang, StarGaze and played together with dance companies T.R.A.S.H. and Club Guy&Roni. In 2012 Aart Strootman was awarded “Brandstof” talent by the BKKC, followed the next two years by MuziekLab’s “New Arrivals”. In 2014 Aart was granted “Nieuwe maker” by the Dutch Fund of Performing Arts. With this support he follows masterclasses composition with Nik Bärtsch in Zürich, Steven Mackey at Princeton university and Georg Friedrich Haas at Columbia university. He has played solo with Britten Sinfonia, the Radio Orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk and the New York Philharmonic. As a soloist he played recitals at the most diverse venues: from local museums to the Barbican Hall, from Amsterdam to Wellington. Most of these concerts are given on homemade instruments developed via elaborate collaborations with composers. An 8-string guitar was made for Steve Reich, a 5-string tabletop instrument for Anthony Fiumara and so forth. As a composer Aart is working for the theatre collective EELT and wrote music for numerous theatre plays. Also he wrote music for F.C. Jongbloed, DissonArt Ensemble, TEMKO, Ramon Lormans, Jacqueline Hamelink, Vincent van Amsterdam and many others. Notations he made for Lunapark, TEMKO and Wouter Snoei.

Ernestine Stoop was born in Utrecht, and began studying harp at the age of eleven with Titia Tieman-van der Laars. She earned her solo diploma in 1980, studying with Edward Witsenburg at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. She then studied for two years with the legendary harpist Pierre Jamet, who was the leading authority on the works of Claude Debussy, and who worked with the composer himself on the pieces written for harp. Ernestine also studied chamber music in Salzburg with the violinist Sandor Végh.

After playing for 11 years with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Ernestine is now focusing on her career as a soloist, chamber musician (with HarpDuo Rave and Trio Janacek), and teacher. She is also a member of the Nieuw Ensemble, Atlas Ensemble, and Asko|Schönberg.

She is the harp-professor at the Royal College of Music in the Hague, and at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg. As a soloist, Ernestine has performed with such conductors as Hans Vonk, Ernest Bour, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, David Porcelijn, Ed Spanjaard, Reinbert de Leeuw, Rogier van Otterloo, and James Last. She has recorded classical as well as contemporary music. In addition, she has worked closely with with well-known artists like Mathile Santing and Toots Tielemans, and participated in theater- and film productions (e.g. with the Malinese Kora player Toumani Diabate). She has also enjoyed numerous, productive sessions with such composers as Mauricio Kagel, Isang Yun, Stockhausen, Elliott Carter, Louis Andriessen, Franco Donatoni, Unsuk Chin, Tan Dun, Guo Wenjing, Theo Loevendie, and Guus Janssen, preparing their compositions for world-premier performances.

Ernestine initiated the 3rd and 5th European Harp Symposia (1995 and 2001) in Amsterdam, and gave the first performance of Guo Wenjing’s ​Concerto for H​ arp and Lyric Soprano in Amsterdam in 2001. She was also the artistic director of the prestigious 10th World Harp Congress, which took place in 2008 in the MuziekGebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam. In addition, she is Officer of the Board of the World Harp Congress, Inc. Recently, Ernestine has had built for herself a Carillo harp. This is a unique 16th-tone instrument designed by Juan Carrillo, a Mexican composer of the early 20th century.

Ernestine’s last CD was released in 2012 and was very enthusiastically received. The CD ​includes the whole cycle, ​Miroirs, by Maurice Ravel, whose music Ernestine adapted for two harps. She has also arrang​ ed ​On an Overgrown Path by Leos Janacek for flute/alto flute, harp, and cello.

Vision on teaching

With a focus on composition, I find it interesting to guide students to find and shape their own musical and interdisciplinary identity.

 In my own works I like to build a complete musical sound world from a few music materials and a simple but strong concept, where with these building blocks I can work out and develop each layer within the work.

 I’d like to show students that within a composition or multimedia work, everything can be interconnected and have correlations with one another. That being musical material in itself, music and visuals but also the performers on stage can be treated as a visual medium in itself.

Biography

After completing her bachelor degree in composition (2018) from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where she has studied with Yannis Kyriakides, Guus Janssen, Peter Adriaansz and Diderik Wagenaar, she has written compositions for orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Residentie Orchestra and ensembles such as Nieuw Ensemble and Kluster5. She also plays and writes music for her own modern jazz group SWART., which released the debut album Lost In in October 2018.

Her works embody abstract, yet narrative-driven and with a touch of minimalism elements. A sound world that manifests harmonic colors and melodical expression is reflected in her visual media as well.

Her animated visuals are a blend of stop-motion, rotoscope animation as well as live-action and photography imagery, and give the multimedia works an in-between experience of realism and imagination.

Earlier this year, she has won the Keep an Eye Production Price Award 2021, for her new multimedia production for Festival Wonderfeel. In 2018 she was nominated for the Tera de Marez Oyens Award for her composition Boven Hoge Gebouwen (written for Kluster5) and in 2019 she received for her work In My Web ‘’recommended work’’ at the International Rostrum of Composers 2019 (Argentina).

Her music has been played at venues and festivals like Bang on a Can Loud Weekend (USA), Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Bimhuis, TivoliVredenburg and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (UK) and is broadcasted on radio and TV like NPO Radio4, BBC Radio3 (UK) and NPO1 Vrije Geluiden.

Currently she is working on a new 30-minute multimedia piece for Lipstick Percussion duo that will premiere in July 2021.

More information see https://www.celia-swart.com/

Foto: Karmit Fadael

In 2000 I started as a teacher at FHK Conservatory Tilburg. I was so excited about it that I wrote my own method especially for classic/opera singers. This method consists of 4 parts: pronunciation, grammar, exercises and analysis of arias and operas, a list of old and modern Italian vocabulary.

Paul Uyterlinde began cello lessons at the age of twelve in Middelburg, in the Netherlands, with Martin Zagwijn. Under the tutelage of Jean Decroos he received his performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He participated in master classes given by Maurice Gendron, Heinrich Schiff, Mstislav Rostropovitch and Boris Pergamenschikov. Since 1991, Paul Uyterlinde has been solo cellist of the Brabant Philharmonic Orchestra. In conjunction with various orchestras he has frequently played the Concerti for Cello by Schumann, Elgar, Lalo, Dvorak, Saint-Saëns and Haydn, plus the Brahms Double Concerto. His solo performances include collaborations with conductors Eri Klas, Libor Pesek, Lucas Vis, Jacques Mercier, Michel Tabachnik, and Marc Soustrot, to name but a few. Paul performed the Schumann Cello Concerto together with the Brabant Philharmonic and Maestro Moshe Atzmon to great acclaim during the 2011 season. Several concerts are planned in the Netherlands and abroad with the Ayur trio, which comprises Paul Uyterlinde, Adelina Hasani and Hülya Keser, Paul Uyterlinde is Professor of Cello at the Tilburg Conservatory in the Netherlands and gives master classes on a regular basis at other music academies such as those of Brno, Lodz, Biel, Gent, and Wroczlaw. He plays a rare cello made in 1742 by Lorenzo Guadagnini.

Once an opera director who knew me well told me after a performance: “You were not the best singer of your generation, but you are always on the stage and you do a great job, because you love this profession.” I still think this is a spot-on observation of my musical and vocal identity. I have never been one of those vocal talents who naturally find the whole world lying at their feet upon graduation. But I like singing, music and performing so very much, that I fought all my life to be part of that stage. And I am extremely happy I have been able to. And still you can find me on stage, for example performing a contemporary opera in the open air under the rain, or singing Bach in a church, or singing songs by composers who perished in the First World War.

This journey has taught me a lot. I learned to use my voice as a reliable musical instrument with its own instructions for use. At times I failed, but I fought back and gained insights, probably much more than when things would have gone smoothly. I developed a liking for the collective nature of our work, always in touch with other singers, instrumentalists, stage directors, conductors, visual artists, costume and set designers, and learned to function as the part of a whole and to cherish this connection. I learned humility in the face of the awe-inspiring history of our playground. I also learned that art does not restrict itself to concert halls and red-velveted and gold-plated opera houses, but it’s everywhere around us. It is an invisible channel from heart to heart. Not only here and now, but art also connects us to the hearts of artists long dead whose legacy we keep alive today.

It goes without saying that I think this is the best profession in the world, and if you have the same feeling as well, I would gladly share all my experience with you, to ensure the continuity of our art in a world which needs it more than ever.

Photograph: Linda van der Holst

The career of Eddy Vanoosthuyse cannot be described in a nutshell, over the years he has evolved into one of the most respected clarinet players of his generation.

He works with orchestras such as 'I Pommerigi Musicali/Milano', 'Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra', 'Vancouver Chamber Orchestra', 'Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra/Caracas', Shanghai Symphony', 'Brussels Philharmonic', 'Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia', 'Flanders Symphony Orchestra', 'Sofia Soloists', ... His predilection for chamber music has resulted in some 150 performances of the Mozart clarinet quintet, including the 'Ciurlionis String Quartet', 'Simon Bolivar Quartet', 'Chili Quartet', 'Daniel Quartet', 'Vilnius Quartet', 'Arriaga Quartet', ... He works with conductors such as o.a. Michel Tabashnik, Yoel Levi, Peter Undijan, Saulius Sondeckis, Paul Meyer and Dirk Brossé.

His CD recordings with DECCA, SONY, EMI, AEON, Talent, Gobelin and Aliud are received very warmly worldwide (Diapason, Resmusica, Radio France, the Clarinet, ...).

He also regularly makes recordings for radio and TV such as BRTN, RTBF, VRT, VARA, NOS, Radio Suisse Romande, Lietuvos Radio, Magyar Radio, Czech Radio, Danish Radio, Radio Chile and Exqi.

Vanoosthuyse collaborates with a number of the most prominent composers of his time, such as John Corigliano, Olivier Messiaen, Dirk Brossé, Oscar Navarro, Arturo Marquez, Jan Van der Roost, Nicola Piovani and Hans Zimmer.

He was invited to the 'Symphonicum Europae' and was selected by Georges Prêtre for the 'World Philharmonic Orchestra'.

It appears on the posters of festivals such as the 'Festival of Flanders', 'Festival de Burgundy', 'Festival de Wallonie', 'Vilnius Festival', the 'Festival of Contemporary Music', 'Ars Musica', 'Klara Festival', 'Guimarães Festival (Capital of Culture 2012)', 'Beijing Festival' and further on those of Paris, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Chicago, Washington, Los Angelos, Mexico, Caracas, ...

He receives awards from the City of Lima/Peru and the Chinese Clarinet Society. In 2013 he will be awarded the 'Tower watchman's Prize' for his international career and the global spread of Flemish music. In 2014, the CD with the Carter and Corigliano concertos will be awarded a 'gold label' of Classical Central Station. In 2015, the Union of Belgian Composers honoured him by unanimously donating him the 'Fuga Trophy' for his international promotion of Belgian music.

Eddy Vanoosthuyse is a clarinet solo at the Brussels Philharmonic, a clarinet teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent (Ghent University of Music, School of Arts) and at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg, and is a guest professor of clarinet at the Luca University, Lemmens Institute Department. His former students are connected to major orchestras and universities in 5 continents.

He is also a guest lecturer at various conservatories and universities such as the 'Indiana University, Bloomington/USA', 'Free State University Bloemfontein/South Africa', 'State Academy Vilnius/Lithuania', 'Conservatory G. Verdi Milano/Italy', 'University of Beijing/China', 'Catholic University Santiago/Chili', 'University of the Arts Osaka/Japan', ... He has been teaching at the Belgian Clarinet Academy in Ostend since 1995. In addition, he is regularly invited as a coach for the National Youth Orchestra of Spain 'JONDE' and is a jury member at various international competitions (USA, Europe and Asia).

Since 2010, Vanoosthuyse has been the artistic director of the 'International Clarinet Competition, Ghent', a competition that, with 2 editions, has grown into one of the absolute top competitions in the world (next edition 2015). He is also vice-chairman of SWUK, a non-profit organisation that supports young musicians at the beginning of their careers.

He exclusively plays the Buffet Crampon Tosca clarinets and mouthpieces and reed Vandoren.

Herman Vincken is a senior instructor of oboe at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg. He primarily teaches classical music, but also coaches several chamber music ensembles.

Herman is an expert in making oboe reeds. He has done extensive research into the various types of reed, considering their flexibility, color, and diameter. He has also studied the differences in reed making techniques between countries.

For the past 25 years, Herman has held the principal oboe chair with several orchestras, with which he has also performed as a soloist. He is currently the principal oboe player of the Philzuid.

Biography

Robbert Vos is a highly respected Dutch Euphonium soloist, tutor, and conductor. Since 2014 he has been the euphonium player of the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy. He studied Euphonium (Solo performance, Chamber Music & Teaching) and Band Conducting at AMPA until 2008 and graduated from his Master’s degree for Band Conducting in 2010. He completed all his studies with honours.

Robbert is often invited as a guest soloist and teacher around the globe and regularly gives low brass clinics. His trips have taken him to the USA, Hong Kong, Portugal, Norway and various parts of the United Kingdom. He worked with famous orchestras as the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Band of the Royal Netherlands Air Force but also famous brass bands like the Cory Band and Fodens Band.

Robbert is often invited as a guest soloist and teacher around the globe and regularly gives low brass clinics. His trips have taken him to the USA, Hong Kong, Portugal, Norway and various parts of the United Kingdom. He has worked with famous orchestras, including the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Band of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, but also famous brass bands like the Cory Band and Fodens Band.

Robbert plays on a Besson Prestige 2052-2 and is a Besson Artist. He has also teamed up with Kurun & Gilbert Mouthpieces as an artist. Robbert has made two solo CDs. His latest album, VOX, was released in 2017 and consists of five major compositions for euphonium in combination with brass, fanfare, and wind bands. His first album, DUAL, was released in 2014.

Since 2018 he has been musical director of Brass Band Schoonhoven A, where he was the solo euphonium from 2007 until 2018, and he is chief conductor of Koninklijke Harmonie Phileutonia Eindhoven. Together with percussionist Niels Verbeek, he forms a musical duo called ‘Silver Vibes’.

Robbert is also active as a composer and arranger. In 2020 his composition ‘Capriccio for Brass Band’ won the both the jury and audience awards of the International Brass Band Composers Competition.

For more information about Robbert you can take a look on his website www.euphonium.blog or check out one of his social media accounts.

Spanish translation biography Robbert Vos (PDF)

Quotes:

Quote Arjan Tien - Chief Conductor of the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy:
“Robbert Vos is a brilliant orchestral musician and soloist of international class. His interpretations always display the wider musical context and seem free of any technical obstacles”

Quote Ivan Meylemans - Conductor of various orchestras:
"Robbert Vos is undoubtedly one of the best euphonium players in the world. His wonderful sound, flawless technique and musical creativity make him a truly top class musician. Robbert’s constant search for, and encouragement of new repertoire makes him an exceptional soloist. In addition, he is also a warm and friendly person.”

Quote Philip Harper - Conductor of Cory Band:
“Robbert Vos is a meticulous musician who plays with flair, panache and real attention to detail – the complete euphonium player!”

Vision on teaching

Vision on teaching - Paul Weiling (PDF)

Biography

Paul Weiling teaches major students of saxophone, and specializes in jazz and improvisation. He also gives a course on saxophone teaching methods, ensemble lessons with special attention to duos, and lessons on improvisation for classically-trained musicians. Outside of his teaching duties, he participates in the conservatory’s mentoring team as a career coach. Paul studied jazz saxophone at the Amsterdam School of Arts with Ferdinand Povel, and classical saxophone repertoire with Henk van Twillert. After graduating with a teaching and performance degree, he continued his studies with former Miles Davis saxophonist David Liebman in New York. He also completed a Master’s of Music at the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. As a musician, composer, and producer Paul received five-star reviews from the leading Dutch newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’ for his crossover projects, Compasión (recorded on his CD, “Salmuera”) and Tales of Tala (recorded on his CD, “Untold”). In addition to performing with the John Fillmore Quartet, Trio Son Cubano, and Duo Quartier Latin, Paul is currently working on a solo performance for saxophone, laptop and visuals.

paulweiling.com

Biography

Michiel Westerhuis studied Drums & Percussion at the Brabants Conservatory and at that time played in numerous bands including E.Q.E, Tudo bem, Viviany Godoy & Banda Ax and Chili con Salsa. Besides that he is the founder and musical director of Medicamento. (www.medicamento.nl)

After his exam he left for Brasil to study there. He played with Kizumba, Timbalada and Olodum, and as highlight in this periode: recording a music video with Michael Jackson “They don't care about us”.

Once back, he completed his studies ('Uitvoerend Musicus) 'with honors. He is founder of Percussion school DanzaDanza (www.danzadanza.nl) and played as drummer / band leader in Full Colorz (Reggae, with Kenny B.), Volop sun, Trio Novo, Vai Passar, Som do Sol (Brasil), Miss Casita (Hip Hop), the Wawanko's and Chili con Salsa (Cuban Jazz ). He also drummed with Josee Koning (Brasil), Tudo Bem, Capim (Samba), Miss Thang (Soul), Fresh, Dazzled (Pop) Los Foulanos (Cuba).

He regularly travels up and down to Brazil and plays there with several bands including Banda Lobo (with singer / guitarist Zéu Lobo), and Robson (with singer / guitarist Robson Rodriques) He also made study trips to Cuba and Africa.

Michiel gives percussion lessons and is accompanist of the Afro Latin Ensemble at AMPA and he accompanied dance auditions at the Tilburg dance academy. Besides that he is involved with Flow Concepts (www.flowconcepts.nl) and supervises the Team Flow Process. Nowadays he is often found in his studio “Studio DanzaDanza” where he teaches, composes, creates, studies and inspires drum and percussion lessons.

Vision on teaching

It gives me pride and joy to assist potential future colleagues in a (very individual) process of discovering their musical capabilities, and to help them find their way towards a musical career that suits their personalities and qualities. My coaching style may be qualified as non doctrinal, challenging within confidence limits, and striving for creating instead of reproducing music. I feel both my musical personality and my experience and knowledge in a wide range of classical, romantic, modern and contemporary repertoire support me in this role.

Biography

Dutch clarinetist Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer (1977) studied at the Rotterdam Conservatory with Walter Boeykens and at the Juilliard School of Music in New York with Charles Neidich on a sponsorship by the Fulbright International Scholarship Program.

In his earlier career, Lars has won several first prizes at both international and national competitions such as SJMN (1991), PCC (1993 and 1994), International Competition for Youth (Lisbon, 1994) and RTBF Jeunes Solistes (Brussels, 1993), Philip Morris Music Award (1999) Vriendenkrans of the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, 2000). In 1999 he made his debut recitel in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and performed successfully as a Rising Star in the so named concert series in 2001-2002. Since then, Lars has played in major venues such as Carnegie Hall New York, Wigmore Hall London, Musik Verein and Konzerthaus Vienna, Cité de la Musique Paris, Philharmonie Berlin, Palais des Beaux Arts Brussels, Kölner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Konserthuset Stockholm and the Schoenberg Center Los Angeles.

He has appeared as a soloist with orchestras and ensembles such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of the Netherlands, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen, Het Gelders Orkest, Het Brabants Orkest, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Orkest van het Oosten, Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, and Nieuw Ensemble Amsterdam. He worked as a soloist with conductors such as Hartmut Haenchen, Marc Soustrot, Michel Tabachnik and James MacMillan. He performed and recorded the world premiere of the Clarinet Concerto Yellow Darkness by Willem Jeths written for him.

Lars is a member of Spectrum Concerts Berlin, including colleagues such as Janine Jansen, Maxim Rysanov and Torleif Thedéen, as well as a member of Dutch ensembles such as Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, Insomnio, and the Orlando Wind Quintet. He has performed with string quartets and ensembles such as Skampa Quartet, Quatuor Danèl, Quatuor Ebène, Manderling Quartet, Auryn Quartet, Quartetto di Torino, Szymanowski Quartet, Ad Libitum Quartet and Altenberg Trio Wien. As a principal clarinetist he appeared in orchestras such as The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

In 2003, Lars was awarded an Edison for his debut CD. Other CD’s followed, with music by, amongst others, James MacMillan (which received the five star Concerto Choice in the BBC Music Magazine September 2014) , Ursula Mamlok and Paul Hindemith. In 2009 and 2011, Challenge Records released his CD with the Reger and Brahms sonatas, which received outstanding reviews by the international music press.

From 2008-2010, Lars was the artistic director of the Toon Festival Brabant in Den Bosch. The Musis Sacrum concert venue of Arnhem invited Lars to be Artist in Residence in 2014-2015. At the Boulez Festival 2015 in Vredenburg, Utrecht, he performed Boulez’ Dialogue de l’ombre double. He gave a reprise at the Musica Sacra Festival 2016, together with works of Alexander Goehr, Karl Heinz Stockhausen, and James MacMillan.

Lars teaches at Academy of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg since 2004.

Some press quotes on performances and CD recordings:
• Seine Technik ist nicht nur von äußerst seltener Perfektion, sie zeigt in jeder Lage Feinsinn und Geschmeidigkeit geradezu sensationeller Art. (Berliner Morgenpost)
• Wouters handles this temperamental instrument with complete command, and his finger work is nothing short of stunning. (Fanfare Magazine)
• Die ‘Kontraste’ für Klarinette, Violine und Klavier von Béla Bartók, in denen Klarinettist Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer in Bezug auf dynamische Flexibilität, Weichheit und Klangschönheit in allen Registern nichts zu wünschen übrig lieb. (Berliner Zeitung)
• Allen voran begeisterte der Klarinettist Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer in seinem langen Solosatz mit scheinbar endlosem Atem,wenn er einzelne Töne vom fast Unhörbaren bis kurz vor dem Platze steigerte. Ein Höhepunt dieser grossartiger Aufführung von Messiaens Quatuor pour la fin du temps. (Kulturradio Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg)
• The ‘Berliner Morgenpost’ did not call his technique of an utterly rare perfection for nothing! But his musicality, his finesse and his flexibility are also qualities that define Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer. A thrilling musician to listen to, both in concert and in this fine musical document on CD! (www.sterlingmusic.se)

www.larzetto.com

While still a student at the conservatories of Maastricht and Tilburg (NL) Mr. van der Zanden received his first invitation from Maestro Jac van Steen to play as principal horn in the Neues Berliner Kammerorchester. Soon after he was appointed principal horn in The North Netherlands Orchestra in Groningen, NL.

Currently, Mr. van der Zanden is principal horn of

Brussels Philharmonic.

As an invited guest with some of the world’s top orchestra’s & ensembles, like The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Essener Philharmoniker, Metalakan Brass Toulouse a.o. Mr. van der Zanden has travelled extensively throughout his career, not only within Europe, but also Asia, Russia and both North & South America.

Mr. van der Zanden can be heard on a multitude of television and film soundtracks. His extensive catalogue includes films scored by Alan Silvestri, Elliot Goldenthal, Laurence Rosenthal and the Oscar winning film, “The Artist” by Ludovic Bource.

Mr. van der Zanden gives yearly Masterclasses in Chiaramonte Gulfi (Sicily), Horn Festival Fagagna (It).

Since September 2018, Mr. van der Zanden is professor of horn at Fontys Academy of Arts, Tilburg (NL).

Andreas van Zoelen is professor of classical saxophone. His class is a vibrant group of international students, who are developing their craft successfully and gaining their merits on international podia. Furthermore Andreas is coordinator of the wind department and of the chamber music program. He received his tuition at the Brabants Conservatorium in Tilburg with Jean Pennings, after which he continued his studies with Carina Raschèr in Germany. In 2014 he was invited to join the famous Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, where he succeeded founding member Bruce Weinberger on tenor saxophone. With this highly successful ensemble he performs concerts and teaches masterclasses across the globe. He has performed regularly for international Radio and Television with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, under Sir Simon Rattle. Furthermore, he has performed with musicians like Stewart Copeland (the Police) and Markus Stockhausen. Apart from being a renowned musician, van Zoelen is also an authority in the field of the history of the saxophone. His collection of sources and over 100 instruments, among which several from the atelier of Adolphe Sax, is unique. In 2014 he authored an extensive 423 page book about the history of the classical saxophone in the Netherlands, which received much acclaim.

copyright Felix Broede