Out of love for the song, Vrienden van het Lied was founded in 1961. Originally intended as chamber music, the art of song flourished in the nineteenth century as never before. It inspired many composers, musicians and audiences, and many still famous songs and cycles had their premieres in private salons. Vrienden van het Lied continue this tradition with their song recitals. With these, the association strives to spread the art of song among professional musicians, composers, amateurs and the public.
At 22 regions around sixty song recitals are organised every year, reviving the old tradition of the private salon. Living rooms, churches or small concert stages offer the ambiance befitting the song's origins. You will listen to renowned musicians who often started impressive careers with the association. With the annual audition, new talent also flows into the association. In this way, the association offers young, promising musicians a stage on which they can build their reputation and repertoire.
In regions with many members who are themselves active amateur singers or pianists, our contact persons organise a members-for-members concert about once a year. Members from other regions and non-members and professional singers from their own region regularly take part. Until a few years ago, the association organised song interpretation courses for advanced amateur singers and their pianists. Friends of the Song has the ambition to once again offer a broader stage to enthusiastic amateur singers.
Members also receive the free membership magazine The Liedvriend, which includes interviews with musicians from the association, background on old and new repertoire and reviews of new publications and recordings.
If you have any news or would like to submit an article: please mail to liedvriend@vvhl.nl.
For information on ad placement and rates, contact Dinant Krouwel, liedvriend@vvhl.nl.
Previously published editions of The Liedvriend can be requested digitally at nieuws@vvhl.nl
The association also organises the annual Day of Song. In 2011, for example, there was the Feast for the Song on the occasion of the 50th anniversary. Song Day often has a central theme. For instance, there was a Hugo Wolf Day in 2013, a Johannes Brahms Day in 2014 , a Mendelssohn Day in 2015 and in 2016 a Day of the Theatrical Song. Since 2019, these days have taken place in close cooperation with International Song Festival Zeist.
Regional recitals are free for members, non-members pay an entrance fee. A reduced rate applies for young people. As a member of the society, you are a Friend of the Song.
Want to mean more? Then become bosom friend or Maecenas.
Leo Samama, president
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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, board member
Tel. 06 21577826
Hanneke Taat, board member
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Joost van der Linden, board member 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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read biography >
Claudia Patacca, soprano
read biography >
Jan Willem Baljet, baritone
read biography >
Henriette Feith, soprano
read biography >
Sinan Vural, baritone
read biography >
Femke de Graaf, pianist
read biography >
Micha van Weers, pianist
read biography >
Annette Ovink, chairman/contracts
Tel 0541 517 516
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Marie-Louise Beerling, concert programmes and song lyrics
Tel. 030 691 32 02
Tel: 06 365 54 490
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Marja Hennemann, concert programmes and song lyrics
Tel. 06 206 22 052
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Dinant Krouwel, editor
Tel. 030 273 57 81
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Joost van der Linden, editor
Tel 06 483 312 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
Gabriel Oostvogel, former director of the De Doelen concert and congress centre
Christoph Prégardien, tenor
Lenneke Ruiten, soprano
Ed Spanjaard, conductor
Organising song recitals involves a lot, but it is also rewarding work: as a contact person, you can choose which soloists to invite and offer a stage, and contribute to the enjoyment of the people who come to listen. Will you help put the song better on the map?
We are currently looking for contacts for the Eindhoven, Friesland, Leiden and Limburg regions.
Fancy joining this inspiring and motivating position? Then contact us soon: info@vvhl.nl.
Are you not living in one of these regions but would like to contribute? If so, we would also like to hear from you!
Hilda Wouwenaar, 072 5126036
Contact: alkmaar@vvhl.nl
Babs and Nico Witteman, 0644722104
Adrienne van den Bogaard and 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
We are looking for a second contact person for the Eindhoven region. Fancy taking up this inspiring and motivating position? Then contact us soon: info@vvhl.nl
Hilda Wouwenaar, 072 5126036
Contact: friesland@vvhl.nl
We are looking for a new contact person for the Friesland region. Fancy taking up this inspiring and motivating position? Then contact us soon: 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
We are looking for a new contact person for the Limburg region. Fancy taking up this inspiring and motivating position? Then contact us soon: 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
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