Dear Mr Rutte: Why should music schools stay closed? Why so arbitrarily?

Pepijn van Vilsteren

Born in Zwolle (1984), Pepijn grew up in a real family of musicians. His father is a pianist, his mother a singer. After successively playing the violin and then the trumpet, Pepijn started playing the piano at the age of seven. The first teacher became his father, already after a few years, Pepijn was taken on as a private pupil with Marlies van Gent (teacher of young talent at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam). In 2002, Pepijn began his studies at the Utrecht School of the Arts. Here he was taught by Alexander Warenberg, and from autumn 2003 by Hungarian pianist Klára Würtz. In June 2006, Pepijn obtained his Bachelor of Music ("With Honours") here, with harpsichord and organ as subsidiary subjects. Pepijn also obtained his Master of Music from the same Klára Würtz in June 2008. Pepijn received coaching from Martyn van den Hoek and Alan Weiss, among others, and took part in master classes with Ralph van Raat (contemporary music), Andreas Woyke (improvisation), Balász Szokolay (piano), and Toos Onderdenwijngaard (piano). Pepijn has participated twice in the Musik Zentral festival in Bad Aussee, Austria. He also played at the festival in Keszthely, Hungary. In 2007 and 2008, he soloed in Dmitri Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto with the HanzeOrkest Zwolle conducted by Bart van den Goorbergh. Pepijn is a passionate song accompanist and correpetitor, has a keen interest in orchestral conducting, and enjoys accompanying choirs. Pepijn has a wide repertoire (ranging from Bach to Messiaen), plays in various chamber music formations on various stages. On 4 May 2018, for instance, he played works by Chopin, Piazzolla and Bach at the annual memorial concert in Utrecht. In January and February of 2019, he performed Schubert's Winterreise 7 times with tenor Gevorg Aperánts and at the 4 May commemoration in Zuilen with violinist Esther Damsma-In 't Groen, he played 2 movements from C. Franck's violin sonata, among others. There are plans to perform Franck's entire work in the near future. With soprano Vida Matičič, he performed the concert series Love a voyage of discovery in June 2019. On 21 June 2019, Pepijn played with soprano Klaartje van Veldhoven and the Matangi Quartet at the opening concert of Kerkennacht Utrecht. In addition to his work as a performing musician, Pepijn van Vilsteren works as a passionate and inspired piano teacher. Pepijn currently teaches at the Heiloo School of Music and Dance, the Music School in Wijk bij Duurstede, and has a private teaching practice.View Author posts