Joost van Velzen is a very versatile musician, and is always developing. He is a classical singer, with a predilection for opera and the art song repertoire. As a conductor and teacher, he works with young and old, in every imaginable style.
From an early age, Joost was fascinated by music. During his childhood, jazz music was often played at home and he would sing along to classics by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Sarah Vaughan. In addition, he learned to play the clarinet, organ and keyboard. Secondary school brought an introduction to classical music. Thanks to an enthusiastic music teacher, a wide repertoire was covered: from Bach, Vivaldi and Monteverdi to major works such as Carmina Burana, Ravel's Bolero, West Side Story and Carmen. It was only after studying pharmacy at university that Joost finally dared to give in to his greatest passion: singing. He studied classical singing at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and quickly became devoted to early music and the art song repertoire. By performing several roles at the Dutch National Opera Academy, he also became acquainted with music theatre. The combination of early music and theatre, particularly of composers such as Purcell, Monteverdi and Handel, led to an initial specialisation.
In addition to his work as an oratorio soloist (such as the Evangelist roles in Bach's Passions and the major works by Handel and Mozart), Joost has gradually developed into a tenor with a wide range and a warm timbre. In recent years, he has focused on 19th- and 20th-century repertoire, spanning both art song and opera. Joost frequently collaborates with pianist Nikos Stavlas and is a member of the vocal quartet BrinCQ.
Do you want to know which repertoire Joost is currently working on? Look here.