Jan Verschuren (born 1962 in Asten, Netherlands) is a Dutch organist.
Verschuren studied to become an engineer at the Eindhoven University of Technology and at the same time he practiced the organ with Hub. Houët in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He continued practicing the organ under the instruction of Reitze Smits at the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven, Belgium and completed it with a Premier Prix/first prize. Further more Verschuren continued under the instruction of Reitze Smits for the degree of Master of Music at the Utrechts Conservatorium, the Netherlands.
Additionally he took advanced interpretation courses with Jan-Willem Jansen at the Conservatoire of Toulouse and with Michel Bouvard at the Conservatoire of Paris.
Verschuren was appointed organist in Mill and Boxmeer, the Netherlands. In 1998 he has been appointed as university organist of the University Leiden, the Netherlands. In 2001, Verschuren succeeded Folkert Grondsma as titular-organist of the Hartebrug Church in Leiden. Moreover in 2006 Jan Verschuren has been appointed as university-organist of the Eindhoven University of Technology in Eindhoven.
Organ-recitals took him to many organs in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, the Czech Republic and Poland. Moreover, Verschuren has made CD-recordings and performed on the Dutch radio.
At the end of 2002, as university organist, Verschuren was invited to perform the world premiere of Le loup en pierre by Clarence Barlow, an organ piece for two organs, in the Pieterskerk, Leiden.
In April 2002, Verschuren was awarded the medaille d’argent/silver medal of the Société Académique des Arts-Sciences-Lettres de Paris in appreciation of propagating French organ music.
Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher of the late Romantic era. As a composer he is known for his ten organ symphonies, especially the toccata of his fifth organ symphony, which is frequently played as recessional music at weddings and other celebrations.
Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer. As the organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death, he focused on organ music, including six organ symphonies and a Messe solennelle for choir and two organs. He toured Europe and the United States as a concert organist. His students included Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Duruflé.
César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck was a French Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium.
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard composers of Europe, and his work as a teacher helped establish the north German organ tradition.
Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux was a French organist, pianist, composer, and teacher. She was the chief organist at Saint-Esprit for 29 years and at La Madeleine in Paris starting in 1962. She performed internationally as a concert organist and was the first female organist to sign a record contract. She went on to record many organ works, including her own compositions.
Jean Victor Arthur Guillou was a French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue. Principle Organist at Saint Eustache in Paris, from 1963 to 2015, he was widely known as a composer of instrumental and vocal music focused on the organ, as an improviser, and as an adviser to organ builders. For several decades he held regular master classes in Zurich and in Paris.
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of La Trinité from 1871 until 1901. A noted pedagogue, performer, and improviser, Guilmant helped found the Schola Cantorum de Paris. He was appointed as Professor of Organ in the Conservatoire de Paris in 1896.
Jan Smit is a Dutch singer, television host, and actor. Smit mostly sings songs in the Dutch language, in a genre known as palingsound. In addition to his solo career, in 2015 Smit joined the schlager trio KLUBBB3, and in 2017 The Toppers. As a TV presenter, he has worked on programs like the Beste Zangers and Sterren Muziekfeest op het Plein Since 1999, Smit has been serving as an ambassador for the SOS Children's Villages.
Dong-Ill Shin won first prize in the national competition for piano sponsored by The Korea Times at the age of ten. When he was eleven he made his debut with the Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra playing Mozart's Concerto in d minor No. 20. Attracted by J.S. Bach's Music and the orchestra-like colors produced by the organ, he began his studies with Dr. Sun-woo Cho at the age of 14. Later at Yonsei University in Seoul he studied with Dr. Tong-soon Kwak and completed his Bachelor of Music degree in 1997. He then studied in France with Jean Boyer and received the Diplome Nationale Superieur de Musique from the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Lyon in Organ, Harmony, Fugue, Analysis, Improvisation & Basso-Continuo. His dissertation at the Conservatoire was on the study of Tabulatura Nava by Samuel Scheidt which focused on J.P. Sweelinck's influences. His studies continued with Olivier Latry and Michel Bouvard at the Conservatoire Nationale Superieur de Musique de Paris in the prestigious Cycle de Perfectionnement program, which is the highest program in the French National Conservatory system. He also undertook private studies with Mme. Marie-Claire Alain for Organ and Mme. Françoise Marmim for Harpsichord. During his years of study in France he won several scholarships including awards from the Darazzi Foundation, the Meyer Foundation and Mécèn de Société Générale. In 2004 he completed his Artist Diploma at The Boston Conservatory on a full scholarship studying with James David Christie.
László Fassang, is a Hungarian organist, pianist and improviser.
Karel Jan (Arjan) Breukhoven is a Dutch musician.
Denis Bédard is a Canadian composer of organ works and choral pieces. He founded Éditions Cheldar, which publishes his works. His compositions are performed internationally.
Ignace Michiels is a Belgian organist, choral conductor and organ teacher. He is internationally known as a concert organist.
Jan Albert van Eijken was a Dutch composer and organist. He studied with his father, the town organist and then at the Leipzig Conservatorium in 1845–46. His younger brother was the better known Gerrit Jan van Eijken who later lived in London. Eijken's 1853 book of organ chorales was one of the first Dutch organ books to include introductions to psalms.
Lambertus Reiner "Reinbert" de Leeuw was a Dutch conductor, pianist and composer.
FransKrafft was a composer, organist and director in the Austrian Netherlands. He was organist at the Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent from 1769 to 1794. He is sometimes erroneously named Frans-Joseph, but that is actually his elder brother, born in 1721. He is not to be confused with his cousin, also named Frans Krafft and also born in Brussels in 1733, who later moved to Germany.
The following is a timeline of the history of the municipality of Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Orgelkids is an educational project meant to familiarize and educate children with the pipe organ musical instrument. The project was initiated in the Netherlands in 2009 by Lydia Vroegindeweij and is directed towards cultural legacy and music education. Initially the project consisted of a website with educational tips and lesson suggestions to organize, among other projects, an excursion to a large pipe organ. Since 2013, Orgelkids has at its disposal a specially developed educational organ assembly kit. A complete, craftsman-built organ, in unassembled component parts, is contained in a lesson box. The instrument can be assembled and subsequently played. This so-called Do-organ is acquired or rented out by Orgelkids to schools, churches, organists, organ builders, organ teachers, or organ enthusiasts who want to organize educational activities for children and/or adults.
Andrew Forbes is a Scottish organist. He is the Director of Music of Glasgow Cathedral and the Artistic Director of Glasgow Cathedral Festival. He is an organist, harpsichordist and conductor as well as a trustee of the Glasgow Society of Organists. In addition to his work at Glasgow Cathedral, he has a freelance career as a soloist and ensemble player, with appearances on BBC TV and radio, and concert performances across Europe at venues including the Philharmonie de Paris. Since 2017 Forbes has taught organ in the junior department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Odile Marie-Pascale Pierre was a French organist, composer and academic teacher. She was the organist at La Madeleine, Paris, and taught organ and improvisation at the Conservatoire de Paris. The last student of Marcel Dupré, she played around 2,000 recitals internationally and made recordings.
Official website (in Dutch)