Role

:

Conductor

Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Classical

Genre

:

Choral

 

Jos Van Veldhoven is a renowned Dutch conductor and musicologist, best known for his contributions to the field of early music. Born on November 2, 1952, in the city of Amersfoort, Netherlands, Van Veldhoven grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a church organist, and his mother was a singer. From a young age, Van Veldhoven showed a keen interest in music, and he began playing the piano and singing in choirs. Van Veldhoven studied musicology at the University of Utrecht, where he specialized in early music. He also studied conducting with the renowned Dutch conductor, Jan Boeke. After completing his studies, Van Veldhoven began working as a conductor and musicologist, focusing on the performance of early music. In 1983, Van Veldhoven founded the Netherlands Bach Society, a professional choir and orchestra dedicated to the performance of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries. Under Van Veldhoven's leadership, the Netherlands Bach Society became one of the leading ensembles in the field of early music, known for its historically informed performances and innovative programming. Over the course of his career, Van Veldhoven has conducted numerous performances and recordings with the Netherlands Bach Society, as well as with other leading ensembles such as the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir, the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, and the Collegium Vocale Gent. He has also collaborated with many of the world's leading soloists, including Andreas Scholl, Mark Padmore, and Carolyn Sampson. One of Van Veldhoven's most notable achievements was his complete recording of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, which he undertook with the Netherlands Bach Society over a period of 22 years. The project, which included more than 200 cantatas, was widely praised for its high level of musical and scholarly excellence, and it remains one of the most important recordings of Bach's music to date. Van Veldhoven has also been recognized for his contributions to the field of early music with numerous awards and honors. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Edison Classical Music Award for his recording of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Netherlands Bach Society. He has also been awarded the Order of Orange-Nassau, one of the highest honors in the Netherlands, for his services to music. Throughout his career, Van Veldhoven has remained committed to the performance of early music, and he has been a leading advocate for the use of historically informed performance practices. His work has helped to shape the field of early music, and his recordings and performances continue to inspire and educate musicians and audiences around the world.

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