In 1961, out of love for art song, Vrienden van het Lied (Friends of Lieder association) was founded. Originally intended as chamber music, art song flourished in the nineteenth century as never before. It inspired many composers, musicians and audiences and many still famous songs and cycles then premiered in private salons. Vrienden van het Lied continues to build on this tradition with song recitals in intimate settings. This way, the association wishes to spread the love for art song among professional musicians, composers, amateur musicians and the public.
About 60 song recitals are organized in the association’s 22 regions each year, reviving the old tradition of the private salon. Private living rooms, churches or small concert halls provide a perfect ambience that matches the origins of art song. They offer listeners a chance to enjoy renowned musicians whose impressive careers often jumpstarted with the association’s recitals. The annual audition allows new talent to join the association. This way, Vrienden van het Lied offers young, promising musicians a platform to gain exposure and build repertoire.
In regions where many members are active as amateur singers or pianists, the association organizes members-for-members concerts about once a year. Members from outside that area, non-members and professional singers from within the region can often also participate. The association set up song interpretation courses for advanced amateur singers and their pianists in the recent past. Vrienden van het Lied still has the ambition to offer a broader stage to enthusiastic amateur singers.
Members receive the annual member magazine De Liedvriend, containing interviews with the association’s musicians, background stories on old and new repertoire and reviews of recent publications and recordings.
Do you have news or would you like to submit an article? Mail to liedvriend@vvhl.nl.
For information about placing advertisements and the rates, please contact Dinant Krouwel, liedvriend@vvhl.nl.
Every year the association organizes the Day of Song, which often has a central theme. For example, on the occasion of the association’s 50th anniversary in 2011, there was the Feest voor het Lied, a Hugo Wolf Day in 2013, a Johannes Brahms Day in 2014, a Mendelssohn Day in 2015 and a Day of Theatrical Song in 2016. Since 2019, these days take place in close collaboration with Internationaal Lied Festival Zeist.
Members can visit all recitals free of charge, while non-members pay an entrance fee. A reduced rate applies to youngsters. As a member of the association, we call you a Friend of song.
Would you like to do more? Become our Best Friend or Patron.
Leo Samama, chairman
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Dinant Krouwel, secretary
Tel: 030 273 57 81
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Bram de Ronde, treasurer
Tel. 06 513 10 692
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Francine van der Heijden, member of the board
Tel. 06 21577826
Hanneke Taat, member of the board
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Joost van der Linden, member of the board website & social media
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Address
Heycopstraat 24
3521 EN Utrecht
The Netherlands
Susan Dorrenboom
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Cécile van de Sant, chairman / mezzo-soprano
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Claudia Patacca, soprano
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Jan Willem Baljet, bariton
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Henriette Feith, soprano
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Sinan Vural, baritone
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Femke de Graaf, pianist
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Annette Ovink, chairperson/contracts
Tel. +31 (0) 541 517 516
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Marie-Louise Beerling, concert programmes and lyrics
Tel. +31 (0)30 691 32 02
Tel: +31 (0)6 365 54 490
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Marja Hennemann, concert programmes and lyrics
Tel. +31 (0)6 206 22 052
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Dinant Krouwel, editor
Tel. +31 (0)30 273 57 81
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Joost van der Linden, editor
Tel. +31 (0)6 483 312 29
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Dick Buld
Frans Eggink
Annette Ovink
Lodewijk Meeuwsen
Elly Ameling, singer
Arthur Japin, author
Ruud van der Meer, singer
Jard van Nes, singer
Thomas Oliemans, baritone
Gabriël Oostvogel, former director Music Hall de Doelen
Christoph Prégardien, tenor
Lenneke Ruiten, soprano
Ed Spanjaard, conductor
Hilda Wouwenaar, 072 5126036
Contact: alkmaar@vvhl.nl
Babs en Nico Witteman, 0644722104
Adrienne van den Bogaard en Maarten Boelsma
Contact: amsterdam@vvhl.nl
Renee ter Braake, 06 227 95 414
Marjolein Berkvens, 026 333 59 72
Contact: arnhem-wageningen@vvhl.nl
Ineke Baart, 0162 682943
Léonie Korff, 076 5328373 / 06 23637387
Contact: breda@vvhl.nl
Liesbeth Reijerkerk, 06 424 74 509
contact: denhaag@vvhl.nl
Marleen Abbringh-Polee, 040 283 29 43
Contact: eindhoven@vvhl.nl
Voor de regio Eindhoven zijn wij op zoek naar een tweede contactpersoon. Zin om deze inspirerende en motiverende functie te gaan vervullen? Neem dan snel contact met ons op: info@vvhl.nl
Hilda Wouwenaar, 072 5126036
Contact: friesland@vvhl.nl
Voor de regio Friesland zijn wij op zoek naar een nieuwe contactpersoon. Zin om deze inspirerende en motiverende functie te gaan vervullen? Neem dan snel contact met ons op: info@vvhl.nl
Roderik Blom, 06 25528546
Contact: hetgooi@vvhl.nl
Riekje Bakker, 050 5340521
Kees Buiter, 050 5349558
Contact: groningen@vvhl.nl
Marina Besselink
Peter Wieringa
Contact: haarlem@vvhl.nl
Cécile van den Boogaard
contact: denbosch@vvhl.nl
Mette Lise Boumeester, 071 5890417
Contact: leiden@vvhl.nl
Voor de regio Limburg zijn wij op zoek naar een nieuwe contactpersoon. Zin om deze inspirerende en motiverende functie te gaan vervullen? Neem dan snel contact met ons op: info@vvhl.nl
Bertien Keijser-Huijts, 024 3233803
Contact: nijmegen@vvhl.nl
Marianne van den Heuvel, 010 4837265
Liesbeth Reijerkerk, 06 42474509
contact: rotterdam@vvhl.nl
Annette Ovink, 0541 517516
Charles Mol, 0546 863277
Contact: twente@vvhl.nl
Robert Koch, 06 416 64 169
Marianne Oelers, 06 308 22 171
Contact: utrecht@vvhl.nl
Lille Vreeman, 030 6930361
Roel van Kuppevelt
Contact: utrechtseheuvelrug@vvhl.nl
Geessien Hutten, 0525 681171
Lucie Claessen, 06 15035561
Contact: veluwe@vvhl.nl
Addy Nieuwenhuize-Harting, 0118 625284
Contact: zeeland@vvhl.nl
Elsa van Willenswaard, 06 10254896
Contact: zutphen@vvhl.nl
Jacqueline van Rooij, 06 508 571 60
Ben van Rooij, 06 253 655 88
contact: zwolle@vvhl.nl