Guus Janssen - Biographical data

GUUS JANSSEN (1951) studied piano and composition at the Sweelinck Academy of Music in Amsterdam.

As a pianist and harpsichordist he performed in various groupings with musicians from John Zorn to Gidon Kremer. Since the early 1980’s he has led his own ensembles, ranging from pianotrios to 11 piece band and opera orchestra.  

As a soloist, playing mainly his own compositions and improvisations, he has appeared at a lot of international festivals. In addition he has performed with many of the leading Dutch ensembles and orchestras.

Janssen’s achievements in the field of jazz and improvised music have been widely acclaimed. It was for them that he received the Boy Edgar Award, 1981.

His compositions, quite apart from the pieces written for the Janssen ensembles, range from piano music and string quartet to symphonic work; they have been widely played by, amongst others, the Kronos Quartet, the Schönberg Ensemble, the Ebony Band and the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest.

In recognition of his standing and quality as a composer, Janssen won the prestigious Matthijs Vermeulen Award, 1984.

So far Janssen has composed three opera’ s in collaboration with Friso Haverkamp:‘Faust’s Licht’ (1988/1993), ‘Noach’ (1994) and ‘Hier‘ (2000). ‘Noach’ has been staged again in Amsterdam by Dutch National Opera in January 1999.

Last february his work Verstelwerk had its very succesfull New York premiere in Zankell Hall performed by the Riverside Orchestra. Celloplayers Larissa Groeneveld and Ernst Reijseger played his doubleconcerto Belvédère with the Brabants Orkest last season when Janssen was composer in residence.

In june his new pianosolo cd was released by GeestgrondenCd under the title “Out of frame” It was received very enthusiastic by the dutch press.

Coming november two new works will have their premiere. Four Songs for sheng (Wu Wei) and orchestra (the Metropole Orchestra) during the Nederlandse Muziekdagen and a new piece for the Ives Ensemble and the Canadian Ensemble Continuum.

In the Holland Festival 2009 the Radio Kamer Filharmonie and three sopranos of Capella Amsterdam will perform the premiere of a rewrite made by Janssen of three pieces by John Dowland under the title 'Two Songs and a Tear'.

Currently Janssen is working on an opera for the Ricciotti Ensemble. The libretto is based on the story of Pinnochio and will be written by Friso Haverkamp. 



Biografie in het Nederlands