Festivo

Jan van Wingerden

Talent and desire to study are essential components of every musician. The organist Jan van Wingerden can be said to possess both. As a result, he enjoys a good reputation as an organist.

His gift for music became evident at an early age, and when he was eleven he was already accompanying the singing of the congregation during church services. Piet Meijer was his piano teacher. Well-known organists such as Wim van der Panne and Ben van Oosten were his teachers for the instrument so close to his heart, the organ.
He learnt the specific Franck interpretation from Daniel Roth in Paris. Through the knowledge of these organ masters, Jan van Wingerden could develop to the level of a concert organist who knows how to implement all the details of organ technique and registration in his performance. On top of that, the musical depth and expression shown in his playing demonstrate his own view and character. However, his interpretations always show respect towards the work of the composers.

His repertoire includes works form the baroque period to modern times, with a special affinity for the French-Romantic music.
Jan van Wingerden gives concerts in the Netherlands and abroad on a regular basis.

Because of his friendship with the Prague organ virtuoso Jirí Ropek, he gained in-depth knowledge of Czech organ music over the last to centuries. He produced a CD especially of works from this period, thus earning great appreciation worldwide.

Jan van Wingerden is the organist of the Dutch Reformed Church in Groot-Ammers.
In 2002 he celebrated his 40th jubilee as an organist.