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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

Young woman looks straight into camera.

Maria Portela Larisch

  • soprano
Maria Portela Larisch began her musical training at the choir academy of La Monnaie in Brussels and then studied at Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. She is co-founder of the trio Gilu and forms a duo with pianist Jou-an Chen.
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Maartje Rammeloo-soprano

Maartje Rammeloo

  • soprano
Maartje Rammeloo completed her master's degree cum laude, specialising in classical music theatre. Besides various opera engagements, Maartje is also in great demand as a soloist on the concert stage.
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Madeline Saputra

  • soprano
Indonesian soprano Madeline Saputra studied classical singing at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. She has been singing songs, operas and oratorios from classical to contemporary genres since 2020. She forms a duo with pianist Apollon Kalamenios.
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Mijke Sekhuis-Sekhuis

Mijke Sekhuis

  • soprano
Mijke Sekhuis was studied classical singing at the Royal Conservatoire and the Dutch National Opera Academy in The Hague. Since then, she has been active as a song, concert and opera singer at home and abroad in the classical and contemporary repertoire.
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Caroline Stam-soprano

Caroline Tribe

  • soprano
Caroline Stam has given concerts both at home and abroad and worked with renowned conductors such as sir David Willcocks, Ton Koopman and Jan Willem de Vriend. She collaborated solo on several CDs.
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Fleur Strijbos

  • soprano
Fleur Strijbos has a deep-rooted passion for song since she attended Lucienne Van Deyck and Jozef De Beenhouwer's song class. Since 2022, she has formed a duo with Babette Craens with whom she was selected for the 'Udo Reinemann Masterclasses 2022-2023'.
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Varvara Tishina-soprano

Varvara Tishina

  • soprano
Varvara Tishina began her training in Russia and continued it at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen. After dedicating herself permanently to a career as a soprano soloist, she has performed various opera roles in recent years.
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Ellen Valkenburg

  • soprano
Ellen Valkenburg graduated with distinction from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. She forms a duo with pianists Maurice Lammerts van Bueren and Andrea Vasi, with whom she has given numerous concerts, and is a member of the Coco Collective. As a soloist, she sang with various companies. Valkenburg was winner of the Margit Widlund Stipendium, which is intended for young singers with a special stage presentation.
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Hanneke de Wit-soprano

Hanneke de Wit

  • soprano
Hanneke de Wit completed her studies at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague cum laude and performed several opera roles. She also studied German Language and Literature, the combination of which led to many concerts with German composers, poems and subjects.
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Johannette Zomer-soprano

Johannette Zomer

  • soprano
Johannette Zomer's repertoire ranges from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, resulting in a highly varied and extensive concert practice. She also regularly contributes to CD recordings.
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Florieke Beelen-mezzo-soprano

Florieke Beelen

  • mezzo-soprano
Florieke Beelen is a sought-after soloist at home and abroad both in oratorio and opera. The NRC Handelsblad called her 'the rising star of the Netherlands' after she won four awards in one year.
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Karolina Hartman-mezzo-soprano

Karolina Hartman

  • mezzo-soprano
The song repertoire is particularly close to Swedish Karolina Hartman's heart. Swedish songs occupy an important place in her programmes. She is in great demand as a soloist for the concert and oratorio repertoire and works with renowned ensembles at home and abroad.
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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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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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