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audition

The next audition will take place on Saturday 24 January 2026 at ArtEZ Conservatorium, Aan de Stadsmuur 88 in Zwolle.

are you

Looking for a larger audience that loves song? Then audition at Friends of the Song: the stage for everyone who loves the art of song.
The association offers song duos the opportunity to perform recitals on small stages and in living rooms, allowing audiences to enjoy the intimacy of song.
A jury composed of musicians who have earned their spurs on the song art stage will judge the participating duos. A duo consists of a singer and an instrumentalist.

will sit on the 2026 jury:

The 2026 jury will include:

  • Lenneke Ruiten, soprano
  • Sasja Hunnego, singing teacher Conservatorium van Amsterdam
  • Micha van Weers, pianist
  • Maarten Hillenius, pianist and former artistic advisory board member
  • Jan Willem Baljet, baritone and member advisory board for artistic affairs
  • Joost van der Linden, chairman (board member)

important dates

The next audition will take place on Saturday 24 January 2026 from 11am.

The application period runs from Monday 1 September to Sunday 23 November 2025 - midnight. Please note that a maximum of 10 pairs can be placed.

After 15 December 2025, you will hear whether you will be invited for the audition on 24 January 2026.

admission

When you want to audition:

  • as a singer, you are able to sing the songs you bring by heart.
  • are you and your duo partner prepared to perform concerts together after admission to our database of performing musicians

 

Keep in mind that as a duo, you cannot audition more than twice.

after authorisation

Musicians who perform for Friends of the Song are eligible, in addition to their fees, for an allowance for travel expenses incurred over distances greater than 200 km. Travel expenses are calculated over the total kilometres made exclusively within the Netherlands.

Travel expenses incurred for the audition will not be reimbursed.

sign up

Registration is possible from 1 September 2025 by a fully completed registration form send in a programme of up to 15 minutes.

Registration closes at midnight on Sunday, 23 November.

Registration forms received after this time cannot be processed.

Mandatory components of this programme are:

  • a song from after 1900 by a Dutch composer, not necessarily Dutch-speaking
  • a German-language song from German Romanticism
  • a French-language song by a composer of your choice

 

Please state for each song:

  • the title of the song including the opus number
  • the composer's full name, date of birth and death
  • the name of the lyricist
  • the exact duration of each song

 

In doing so, upload the following attachments:

  • recent video recording(s) of you as a duo with three songs including at least one German-language song from German Romanticism and one French-language song of your choice.
  • a copy of a valid EU passport or residence permit valid in the EU with the endorsement ‘work is freely permitted’, of yourself and your duo partner. This is necessary in connection with contracting musicians, who will perform for Friends of the Song after a successful audition.

 

Announcement of selected duos:
All video recording(s) are reviewed by the artistic affairs advisory board (RAA).
From 15 December 2025, it will be announced which duos have been admitted to auditions on 24 January 2026. Incomplete applications will not be considered.


Cost of participation audition:
The cost for participating in the audition on 24 January is €60.00 per duo.


Payment:
After admission, this amount should be credited to the following account number by 7 January 2026:
IBAN NL 70 INGB 0000 326 329
In the name of Friends of the Song
stating ‘participation audition’ and the name of your duo.

For questions about participating in the auditions, please send an email to auditie@vvhl.nl.

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location

ArtEZ Conservatoire
At the City Wall 88
8011 VD Zwolle

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