Opening Concert Leading Voices

The opening concert of Leading Voices is a celebration of our means of communication: through sound, music, words, and movement. Our voices connect us all and are being heard even stronger by using movement, body language or symbols. Either by sound like speech or singing, or by writing or creating images we make ourselves visible and we are able to connect to others. A connection that nurtures thoughts and emotions and overcomes distances in space and time. A connection that builds bridges between generations.

The opening concert stages five different choirs and ensembles from the Netherlands that each have their own unique sound and style. Their performances will be melted together by a musical collective. The concert is directed and choireographed by Panda van Proosdij.

Choirs performing in the opening concert

Nederlands Kamerkoor

For more than eighty years, the Netherlands Chamber Choir (Nederlands Kamerkoor) has enjoyed a place at the top of the international choral world. Since the very beginning the choir has been known for creating new highlights in the development and performance of choral music at the highest level.
The Netherlands Chamber Choir will contribute to the opening concert with Dear professor Einstein, a brand new mini-opera for choir by the talented Dutch composer Mathilde Wantenaar. Wantenaar drew inspiration from the written correspondence between children and one of the greatest scientists ever: Albert Einstein. Dear professor Einstein is a homage to curiosity and the sheer coincidence which plays a role in everybody’s lives. The singers that will perform the mini-opera are a mixture of singers from the Netherlands Chamber Choir and alumni of NKK NXT, the trainee programme of the choir. The choir is conducted by Boudewijn Jansen and supported by an ensemble led by Merel Vercammen (violin).

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ZO! Gospel Choir

ZO! Gospel Choir is composed out of the best singing talent that the Netherlands has to offer. The choir was founded in 2010 in the Bijlmermeer which is situated at the South East of Amsterdam. Over the years ZO! Gospel Choir has grown into the best and most sought after choir of Netherlands. This multi-ethnic choir is under the inspiring musical leadership of Shirma Rouse and the “Dutch Queen of Soul , R & B and Gospel ” Berget Lewis.

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National Female Youth Choir

The National Female Youth Choir (Nationaal Vrouwen Jeugdkoor) was founded in 1996 and consists of young women between the ages of 16 and 30. Artistic director is Wilma ten Wolde. The choir performs a wide range of music from 1500 to the present day on professional stages at home and abroad. It regularly works with international guest conductors.

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VOISZ Vocal Projects

VOISZ is a group of talented a cappella singers who want to touch and inspire. They search for the boundaries of light music by cooperating with other art disciplines. In each new ‘vocal project’ they look for a form of joint expression, with the aim of strengthening each other. Every collaboration results in a unique, experimental project. Our motto: anything goes as long as musicality and creativity are given free rein, while also keeping a high level of quality. The group is currently led by Ruben Grevelink.

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Netherlands Student Chamber Choir & Utrecht Student Chamber Choir

Formed especially for Leading Voices, this project choir consists of singers from the Netherlands Student Chamber Choir (Nederlands Studenten Kamerkoor, conductor: Béni Csillag) and the Utrechtse Studenten Cantorij (Utrecht Student Chamber Choir, conductor: Fokko Oldenhuis). Both choirs belong to the top of student choirs in the Netherlands. Béni Csillag conducts the group during Leading Voices.

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Concert design

Panda van Proosdij - director

The opening concert will be directed by Panda van Proosdij with the help of Imre Ploeg (Netherlands Chamber Choir), Jeroen van Geffen (light design) and Dennis Essens (video). Panda gives workshops and masterclasses all over the world and created prize winning programs for choirs. She is a experienced director of musicals, concerts and operetta.

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About tickets

The opening concert is included in the registration fee of the passe partout.
Single tickets of the concert can be bought from 2 June 2022 via this dedicated link.