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Guest Artists
ANDRE KNEVEL - Biography
Organist Andre Knevel was born in Bussum, The Netherlands. At a very early age he began to show a lively interest in the organ and began taking formal piano and organ lessons at the age of 8. Among others, his teachers were: Dr. J.Van Stokkum, Rutger Van Mazijk, and Willem Hendrik Zwart. Andre Knevel gave his first official organ recital at the age of 19. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed organist in Hilversum.
In 1975, Andre Knevel immigrated to Canada, making St. Catharines his permanent residence. He continued and completed his studies with Dr. John Tuttle, Associate Professor of the University of Toronto. Mr. Knevel now maintains a full teaching schedule of organ and piano at home and in several different Christian schools.
Presently he gives many recitals throughout Canada, USA, and Europe. Each summer finds him on his yearly tour of The Netherlands, where he performs anywhere from 20 to 30 concerts on many of the magnificent organs of his native country. Recently he also had the privilege of giving recitals on the organs of Wittenberg and Torgau, Germany, the region of the famous reformer, Martin Luther.
As well, Andre Knevel is the regular accompanist of several mixed and male choirs, and often guest organist for other choirs and musical events. As a sensitive accompanist for solo instruments such as flute, panflute, violin, harp and piano, Andre Knevel has delighted audiences far and wide. Numerous CD recordings have been made of solo organ or combined with the above mentioned choirs and instruments. He is an accomplished player of major organ works and a master improviser. In this way he seeks to share his love and talent for music with the audience but above all, desires it to be to the greater glory of God.
SANDER VAN MARION - Biography
Organist Sander van Marion was born in Scheveningen, The Netherlands, and received his musical education at the Royal College of Music in The Hague. He is the regular organist of the “Bethelkerk” of The Hague - Scheveningen. The innumerable concerts, concert tours, CD’s and records he has made,including three “Golden Records”, illustrate his musical creative talents.
He has made concert tours in Europe, Curacao, Aruba, Canada and the USA where he played the second largest organ in the world at the John Wanamaker Store in Philadelphia. During the “Mozart Year”, he received a special invitation to perform in the “Karlskirche” in Vienna.
He performed in the Cathedral of Passau, Germany, on the world’s largest organ. Besides concerts in Geneva and Lausanne, various times Sander van Marion has had the honour to give concerts on the oldest playable organ in the world (1394) in the Cathédrale de Valère, in Sion, Switzerland.
Sander van Marion is also known as a composer of organ and choir works, as well as children songs. Moreover, he arranged and prepared for performance pieces of masters found in the music library of the Monastery at Einsiedeln, Switzerland. He is a conductor of oratorio societies and male choirs. In 1981, he was honoured by the Minister of Culture of The Netherlands with the “Silver Medal of Honour” In 1996 he was awarded the prestigious “Médaille d’Argent” by the Société Académique “Arts, Sciences et Lettres” in Paris. Sander van Marion was made “Ridder in de Orde van Oranje Nassau” by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, in recognition of his great dedication to the promotion of music for well over 40 years.
In 1998 and 2001, the Ottawa Carleton Male Choir had the privilege of appearing in concerts with Mr. van Marion in Eastern Ontario, and in 2002 performed with him in the Choir’s concert tour in the Netherlands.
RENEE STALENHOEF - Biography
Soprano Renée Stalenhoef will warm our hearts with her wonderful voice. Renée, at the age of fourteen, made her concert debut in Amsterdam. Her flair for the performing arts led her to the Academy of Music in Amsterdam to study with the head voice teacher Coby Riemersma.
Her vast solo expierience has found her performing with the Dutch National Opera, the Dutch Bach and Handel Societies and the Holland and French Summer Festivals. She has worked with such international conductors as Gary Bertini, Edo de Waarts, Hans Vonk and Richard Bonynge.
In 1983, she emigrated to Canada and made her home with her husband and two children in Auburn, Ontario. Since then, Renée has performed with the Kitchener Waterloo Philharmonic Choir, The London Fanshawe Chour, the Blyth Festival Singers and the Saugeen Bach Choir.
She has also performed the difficult title role of “Anna Bolena” for the Canadian Opera Company’s Opera Preview Series as well as officially understudying this role for Dame Joan Sutherland.
As well, she is an A.R.C.T. voice teacher and has prepared many local talented singers for their examination.
The Ottawa Carleton Male Choir had the pleasure of having Renée perform in our 2003 Christmas Concert and welcome her participation in the liberation anniversary celebrations.
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