In 1961, out of love for art song, the 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. The 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. The Vrienden van het Lied still has the ambition to offer a broader stage to enthusiastic amateur singers.
Members receive the semi-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 the 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:+31 30 273 57 81
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Bram de Ronde, treasurer
Tel. +31 6 51310692
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Francine van der Heijden, member of the board
Tel. +31 6 215 77 826
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
Cécile van de Sant, chairman / mezzo-soprano
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read biography (Dutch) >
Maarten Hillenius, pianist
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Claudia Patacca, soprano
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Jan Willem Baljet, baritone
read biography (Dutch) >
Henriette Feith, soprano
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Sinan Vural, baritone
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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 Henneman, concert programmes and lyrics
Tel. +31 (0)6 206 22 052
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Dinant Krouwel, editor
Tel. +31 30 – 273 57 81
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Joost van der Linden, redactie
Tel. +31 6 483 312 29
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Dick Buld
Frans Eggink
Annette Ovink
Lodewijk Meeuwsen
Elly Ameling, singer
Huub van Dael, chairman multiple music organisations
Arthur Japin, writer
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
Wilma van der Stappen
tel. 06 – 338 58 183
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Hilda Wouwenaar, +31 (0)72 5126036
Contact: alkmaar@vvhl.nl
Babs en Nico Witteman, +31 (0)6 44722104
Adrienne van den Bogaard en Maarten Boelsma
Contact: amsterdam@vvhl.nl
Renee ter Braake, +31 (0)6 22795414.
Contact: arnhem-wageningen@vvhl.nl
Ineke Baart, 0162 682943
Léonie Korff, 076 5328373 / 06 23637387
Contact: breda@vvhl.nl
Liesbeth Reijerkerk, +31 (0)6 42474509
contact: denhaag@vvhl.nl
Marleen Abbringh-Polee, +31 (0)40 2832943
Contact: eindhoven@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, +31 (0)6 25528546
Contact: hetgooi@vvhl.nl
Riekje Bakker, +31 (0)50 5340521
Kees Buiter, +31 (0)50 5349558
Contact: groningen@vvhl.nl
Marina Besselink
Peter Wieringa
Contact: haarlem@vvhl.nl
Cécile van den Boogaard
contact: denbosch@vvhl.nl
Mette-Lise Boumeester, +31 (0)71 5890417
Eugenia Veel
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, +31 (0)24 3233803
Contact: nijmegen@vvhl.nl
Marianne van den Heuvel, +31 (0)10 4837265
Liesbeth Reijerkerk, +31 (0)6 42474509
contact: rotterdam@vvhl.nl
Annette Ovink, +31 (0)541 517516
Charles Mol, +31 (0)546 863277
Contact: twente@vvhl.nl
Robert Koch, +31 (0)30 2718142
Contact: utrecht@vvhl.nl
Lille Vreeman, +31 (0)30 6930361
Roel vanKuppevelt
Contact: utrechtseheuvelrug@vvhl.nl
Geessien Hutten, +31 (0)525 681171
Lucie Claessen, +31(0)6 15035561
Contact: veluwe@vvhl.nl
Addy Nieuwenhuize-Harting, +31 (0)118 625284
Contact: zeeland@vvhl.nl
Jacqueline van Rooij, +31(0)6 508 571 60
Ben van Rooij, +31(0)6 253 655 88
contact: zwolle@vvhl.nl
Partners
Vrienden van het Lied
Partners
Vrienden van het Lied
