CHRISTIANNE STOTIJN

Christianne Stotijn

A music critic described Christianne Stotijn's voice as “a contralto-mezzo, deep, dark, mysterious, the sound of bitter chocolate”. (Elsevier, May 6, 2006) Stotijn is associated most of all with the music of Mahler. Her interpretation of his Rückert Lieder led to her breakthrough in classical music and the beginning of ...
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alt, mezzosopraan

Mentioned in the biography of

2005   Rick Stotijn
2005   The Gents
2012   Michel van der Aa
2014   Hans Eijsackers
2014   Rosanne Philippens
2014   Rudolf Jansen
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Biography Christianne Stotijn

A music critic described Christianne Stotijn's voice as “a contralto-mezzo, deep, dark, mysterious, the sound of bitter chocolate”. (Elsevier, May 6, 2006) Stotijn is associated most of all with the music of Mahler. Her interpretation of his Rückert Lieder led to her breakthrough in classical music and the beginning of a flourishing career. Stotijn is fond of the song genre: “I love to perform songs because I want to tell a story. […] I want to be a singing storyteller.” (Elsevier, May 6, 2006) she also regularly sings operatic roles.

1977 - 1999

Christianne Stotijn is born to a musical family. Her father is a double-bassist, her mother plays piano, and many of her relatives are distinguished figures in classical music. She begins playing the violin at age 7 and at age 12 she goes to the conservatory. After completing her secondary school diploma, she majors in the violin and singing. “But I already knew then that singing was my life. […] When I sing, I can be totally myself.” (Elsevier, May 6, 2006)

2000

Christianne Stotijn receives her diploma for violin from the Amsterdam Conservatory. She proceeds her vocal studies with Udo Reinemann.

2001

Stotijn meets the pianist Joseph Breinl, who accompanies her in many recitals. She also works closely with Julius Drake. With both pianists, she performs in prominent concert halls.

2003

Stotijn completes her singing studies at the Amsterdam Conservatory cum laude. Afterwards she takes lessons from Noelle Barker, Janet Baker, Jard van Nes, and Marilyn Horne. She makes her opera debut in the role of Carilda in George Frideric Handel's 'Arianna in Creta', in a production of the Nationale Reisopera.

Jard van Nes

2004

Stotijn is asked to replace the baritone Matthias Goerne, who was to sing Gustav Mahler's 'Rückert Lieder' at a concert in Paris's Theatre des Champs-Elysees. Her performance, conducted by Bernard Haitink, is a great success.

2005

Haitink asks Stotijn to sing the 'Rückert Lieder' in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. She is selected for the Rising Stars international concert series, which opens the prospect of singing recitals in the great concert halls of Europe and the United States. She is chosen for the BBC New Generation Artists, a prize that offers possibilities to perform in the United Kingdom with all of the important BBC orchestras. She also wins the Borletti-Buitoni Award for exceptional musical talent.

2006 - 2007

On March 21, Stotijn gives a well-received recital of songs by Ernest Chausson, Gustav Mahler and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It is the start of a steady succession of debuts, new concert halls, new meetings, and CDs.

2008

Stotijn is awarded the Nederlandse Muziekprijs. Singing Frank Martin's 'Der Cornet', she wins the ECHO Prijs for the best song interpretation. She debuts with De Nederlandse Opera as Ottavia in Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Incoronazione di Poppea'. By now, she has worked with many distinguished conductors and orchestras and she is internationally praised as a rising star.

2010

The CD with Tchaikovsky's songs is awarded the BBC Music Magazine Award for vocal music.

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