Conductor: Leenke de Lege
After studying Slavic Linguistics in Leiden, Leenke studied classical singing for several years. She sang professionally with Cappella Amsterdam, Kamerkoor Nieuwe Muziek and Collegium Vocale Gent, among others. Already in her teens, Leenke became interested in choral conducting but it was only in 2017 that she decided to make it her main subject.
She studied choral conducting with Rob Vermeulen and obtained her master’s degree this year. Her final project involved a study of Russian composer Kastalsky’s ‘Requiem for Fallen Brothers’. At the subsequent final concert, this piece had its Dutch premiere.
In 2019, Leenke set up the vocal ensemble Capella Culemborg, with which she does two short-term intensive projects per year that always culminate in several concerts. These projects often seek to combine older music (up to the late 17th century) with music from the late Romantic and 20th centuries. Besides the Nijmeegs Studentenkoor Alphons Diepenbrock, Leenke weekly conducts the Amersfoort chamber choir Amer Consort and she is artistic director of the Musica Choralis foundation. With this foundation, she performed the Dutch premiere of Maximillian Steinberg’s ‘Passion Week’ in November 2023, one of the last great religious Russian choral works published before Stalin and his followers made writing spiritual music impossible.
This season, Leenke is rehearsal director at Het Andere Koor in Wageningen and this season she returns as guest conductor at the Utrecht Schola Davidica, which she will lead musically in the Eastern Orthodox vespers service.
Repetitor: Ben van Daal
Pianist Ben van Daal studied classical piano at Imola Piano Academy in Eindhoven and later at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Tilburg. Through the years he has worked with many artists, choirs and all kinds of ensembles, making him an experienced accompanist in a broad range of musical styles: from classical music and music theatre to jazz and pop. In his performances the element of improvisation is always present, both in his interpretations of existing music and in playing entirely new improvisations, making each event a unique experience.
Besides being a pianist, Ben also composes and regularly performs his own music.
More info: www.benvandaal.com