20th Century Dutch Flute Music

• The compositions on this CD present a bird's eye view of forty years of flute music of Dutch origin. The decades between the thirties and the eighties was a period of rich interaction between creative and re-creative musicians in The Netherlands.

• Koos Verheul, for years first flutist of the Hague Philharmonic Orchestra (the Residentie Orkest), has always been one of the great champions of contemporary music. Among flutists he is well-known for his beautiful, golden tone and authorative interpretations.

• A very interesting CD, full of world premiere recordings, which will excite all lovers of flute music.

 

Koos Verheul was born in Boskoop and acquired his solo diploma flute cum laude at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. In 1954 he won the Kranichsteiner Musikpreis Darmstadt for the interpretation of modern music. For years he was first flautist with the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, at the same time as teaching at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam where he is still a visiting teacher.

Koos Verheul played solo recitals in many important music centres in Europe, the United States, South America and Japan. He played many contemporary flute concerts with famous conductors, including Pierre Boulez, Bruno Maderna, Ernst Bour and Hans Zender. In 1991 Koos Verheul was awarded the Evert Cornelis Prize for his dedication to Dutch contemporary music.

He has played chamber music in ensembles of many different constellations. He and pianist Jan van der Meer have been a regular duo for forty years.

Jan van der Meer was born in Roelofarendsveen and studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague at the same time as Koos Verheul. He received diplomas with honours for piano, harpsichord and choir direction. He was for many years employed by the Residentie Orchestra on a regular basis.
Jan van der Meer is in great demand as a chamber music pianist. He was part of many ensembles, including the Mendelssohn Trio, with whom he made concert trips in Europe, South America and Asia. His cooperation with Koos Verheul has led to many concerts and radio performances, not in the least because of their broad and var- ied repertoire.