ABBA

Violist and web designer who began his musical training at fifteen years of age and was only twenty-three when he landed a permanent gig with the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra.

In the 1990s, he appeared on a handful of recordings: Back to Wonder by The Serenes; “De Waarheid” and “Wie” by Marco Borsato; and, “On My Own” by Rob de Nijs and Demis Roussos.

The Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, in tandem with Groot Omroepkoor, rang in the holidays on 21^st December 2002 with a program that consisted of Roel van Oosten’s “Quatre Noels Anciens”, Arvo Part’s “Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten”, Alexandre Tansman’s oratorio, Isaie, le Prophete, and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Christmas Carols”.

In 2004, he reunited with Marco Borsato on his CD, Zien. He joined the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in 2005. On 9^th July 2005, he performed in a Harold Arlen tribute with Jean “Toots” Thielemans & Friends at the North Sea Jazz Festival. He collaborated with Raffaela in 2006 on her recording of “Right Here Right Now (My Heart Belongs to You)”.

On 13^th December 2008, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Groot Omroepkoor, and the Nationaal Kinderkoor celebrated the yuletide with their rendition of Mauricio Kagel’s Sankt-Bach-Passion.

The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Groot Omroepkoor participated in the Holland Festival on 6^th June 2009 in a concert of Hendrik Andriessen’s “Ricercare”, Louis Andriessen’s “Nocturnen”, and Igor Stravinsky’s “Canticum sacrum ad honorem Sancti Marci nominis” and “Greeting Prelude”.

On 12^th December 2009, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Groot Omroepkoor, and the men’s chorus of the Latvija Staastkoor offered musical support to the actors in Gioachino Rossini’s Guillaume Tell.

The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra offered up a Russian double bill that comprised Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Konzert fur Klavier under Orchester Nr. 1 fis-Moll op. 1” and Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Sinfonie Nr. 7 C-Dur op. 60” (“Leningrad”) on 9^th March 2010.

On 17^th April 2010, The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra interpreted Victoria Borisova-Ollas’s “Wings of the Wind”, Sergei Prokofiev’s “Vijfde symfonie in Bes, opus 100”, and Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Tweede pianoconcert in c, opus 18”.

Robert has also performed in smaller, chamber groups, such as Ars Musicae and Ensemble ViaCollis. On 20^th June 2010, Ars Musicae put on an all-Mozart recital of “Divertimento KV 136”, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”, and “Hobo kwartet KV 370”. Ensemble ViaCollis entertained on 19^th September 2010 with a line-up that included cellist Mirjam Bosma, flautist Janneke Groesz, violinist Yvonne Hamelink, oboist Ingrid Nissen, and contrabassist Peter Tollenaar.

Other recordings on which Robert appears are Het Best Van Jan Rot and This Heart of Mine by Simone Pormes.

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