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musicians

Among the musicians of Friends of the Song, you will find up-and-coming talent, as well as singers and instrumentalists who are now well known both at home and abroad. 

singers
instrumentalists

singers

Francis van Broekhuizen-soprano

Francis van Broekhuizen

  • soprano
Francis van Broekhuizen started singing at 15 and completed her studies in classical singing with distinction. As a soloist, she worked with several opera companies.
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Claudia Couwenbergh-soprano

Claudia Couwenbergh

  • soprano
Claudia Couwenbergh studied at the Maatrichts Conservatoire. Besides opera and concert repertoire, Claudia Couwenbergh has a great love for song.
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Henriette Feith-soprano

Henriette Feith

  • soprano
Henriette Feith studied solo singing at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. After her studies, she focused mainly on baroque, oratorio and chamber music.
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Selma Harkink-soprano

Selma Harkink

  • soprano
Selma Harkink completed her studies at the Utrecht Conservatory of Music with distinction. Simultaneously, she studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory at the New Opera Academy and the song class.
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Jessica Harper

  • soprano
Australian soprano Jessica Harper graduated summa cum laude from the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp in 2022. She won first or second place or finished as a finalist in every major Australian singing competition. She forms a song duo with pianist Anna Alvizou with whom she won the prize for the best interpretation of the obligatory work Sensation (Martin Fondse) at the Young Artist Platform of International Song Festival Zeist in 2023.
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Valerie Haunz

  • soprano
Soprano Valerie Haunz is a much sought-after song and concert singer. She won first prize at the Isenbügel Music Competition in the song duo category. Together with pianist Sofi Simeonidis - with whom she has formed a duo since 2022 - she won first prize and a recital in a Paris concert hall at the International Student LiedDuo Competition in 2024.
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Irene Hoogveld

  • soprano
Soprano Irene Hoogveld obtained her bachelor and master degrees cum laude and won several awards. She has performed several opera roles. Driven by a passion for modern, Dutch music, Irene sang a large number of premieres for various Dutch composers.
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Elenora Hu

  • soprano
Elenora Hu is an alumna of De Nationale Opera Studio in Amsterdam and has won an impressive string of awards. She has since performed a wide variety of roles and has a great love of song.
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Claire Lees-soprano

Claire Read

  • soprano
Claire lees completed her master's degree in voice and the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She was soon performing in song recitals and as a soloist in choral works and opera productions.
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Irene Maessen-soran

Irene Maessen

  • soprano
Irene Maessen has built up a broad song repertoire. Her affinity with the French impressionist repertoire is striking. As an opera singer, she performed many roles.
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Claudia Patacca-Soprano

Claudia Patacca

  • soprano
After graduating cum laude from the Enschede conservatory, Claudia Patacca built up a flourishing concert practice with performances at home and abroad. She is also principal study teacher in classical voice. at the ArtEZ conservatoire.
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Kelly Poukens

  • soprano
Kelly Poukens is considered an extraordinary soprano with a warm, rich voice. She enjoys working interdisciplinary and has a great love of song. She forms a duo with pianist Marie François.
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instrumentalists

Anna Alvizou

  • piano
Greek pianist Anna Alvizou specialised in the song genre. In 2022, she received the special prize for 'best song pianist' at the international Triomphe de l'Art competition in Brussels. She forms a song duo with soprano Jessica Harper.
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David Bollen - piano

David Bollen

  • piano
David Bollen worked for De Nederlandse Opera, Opera Zuid, Opera Trionfo and for several separate opera productions. He also regularly gives song recitals and performs at home and abroad with, among others, ensemble Frommermann.
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Lies Braakman-piano

Lies Braakman

  • piano
Lies Braakman studied at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Besides her performances as a soloist and with chamber music ensembles, she plays frequently with vocalists.
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Shuann Chai piano

Shuann Chai

  • piano
Shuann Chai is an active and committed artist, acclaimed for her interpretations on both modern and historical instruments. Besides her concert practice, she is increasingly in demand as a teacher.
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Amy Chang

  • piano
Amy Chang masters a versatile repertoire. As a coach and répétiteur, she has mastered a wide range of vocal styles, from Baroque operas to contemporary song art and musical theatre. Together with a number of young singers, she has won several awards, including the Friends of Song Engagement Award with Elenora Hu in 2023.
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Young Asian woman against dark background.

Jou-an Chen

  • piano
Jou-an Chen studied in Taiwan, Paris and Cologne. Besides giving solo concerts, she has a love for song. She forms a duo with soprano Maria Portela Larisch.
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Babette Craens

  • piano
Babette Craens grew up in a musical family and received piano and cello lessons from a very young age. She obtained her bachelor and master piano both with highest distinction, is laureate of several piano competitions and has been heard at prestigious festivals. She forms a duo with Fleur Strijbos.
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Vesna Dimcevska piano

Vesna Dimcevska

  • piano
Vesna Dimcevska specialised in piano accompaniment at the National Conservatory of Toulouse, where she developed her passion for the song repertoire. She also performed as a soloist in (chamber music) concerts and at festivals.
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Victoria Dmitrieva

  • piano
After completing her studies, Victoria Dmitrieva devoted herself to chamber music and song repertoire. She collaborates with several ensembles and musicians. She also works as a repetiteur and is regularly asked as pianist/coach at master classes
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Ursula Dütschler

  • piano
Swiss-born harpsichordist and fortepianist Ursula Dütschler is an inspired musician who knows how to render rhetoric, drama and emotion in music in moving ways.
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Phyllis Ferwerda-piano

Phyllis Ferwerda

  • piano
Phyllis Ferwerda has a great affinity and talent for chamber and vocal music. Several great singers invited her as an accompanist for their master classes and courses. In the Netherlands, she could be heard in recitals on all major stages with several renowned singers.
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Elizabeth Ford

  • piano
Elizabeth Ford's life has been immersed in music. Even while studying piano at the Guilhall School of Music and Drama, she accompanied singers and instrumentalists. She works as correpetitor at the HKA and the National Ballet Academy and can be heard on the CD 'Het Stromende Getij & De Winterdichter' with compositions by Julia Barnes on texts by Dutch poets.
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