Jörgen
van Rijen
Jörgen
performed de Meij's "T-bone Concerto" with The Philharmonic Winds on the 7th and 8th December
2002 at the
Singapore Conference Hall.
Jörgen
van Rijen was born on February 20th 1975 and started playing the trombone at the
age of 8. From 1991 he studied with George Wiegel at the Rotterdam Conservatory
where he finished his degree in solo performance with the highest possible mark,
10 summa cum laude. He also studied for three months with Michel Becquet
at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon.
Besides
conservatory study he has had masterclasses with distinguished trombonists, such
as Joseph Alessi, Principal of the New York Philharmonic; Bart van Lier,
Principal of the Metropole Orchestra; and the Paris trombone quartet.
Since
1997 Jörgen has been principal trombonist with the Royal Concertgebouw
Orchestra in Amsterdam. Before that he held the same position with the Rotterdam
Philharmonic Orchestra. He also teaches the trombone at the Rotterdam
Conservatory. He has won several competitions including the first prize at the
international trombone competition in Toulon, France (2001); the first prize at
the international trombone competition in Guebwiller, France (1999); the first
prize at the Holiday-Inn/ClassicFM competition (1997); and the first prize at
the National Soloist Contest for young music talents (1994). He was also
laureate of the international brass competition of Nizhny Novgorod in Russia.
Last March Jörgen made his solo debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the trombone concerto of Henri Tomasi. He performed as a soloist with several other orchestras and ensembles, such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the windband of the Royal Dutch Marine, Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, the orchestra of the Rotterdam Conservatory. Besides this he has given recitals in prestigious festivals such as in The Festival Radio of France in Montpellier, and the Lieksa Brassweek in Finland. He has also given masterclasses in New York, Toronto, Tokyo, Helsinki, Lisbon and Amsterdam.
* profile correct as of 8 Dec 2002