The Dutch tenor and vocal coach, Albert van Ommen, joined when he was 12 years old the North Holland Boys' Choir in Alkmaar and there received singing and piano lessons. Starting in 1989 he studied at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam with Margreet Honig, Maarten Koningsberger and Paula de Wit. and in 1996 gained his qualification in music education. He then continued his studies at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, with Diane Forlano and Rita Dams and in 1998 graduated as performing musician.
Alongside these studies Albert van Ommen was also studying at the Opera Academy set up by the conservatories of Amsterdam and The Hague. Here he sang the role of Lysander in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the title role in Cavalli's Eisto, Tamino in W.A. Mozartt's Die Zauberflöte and Bartley in Ralph Vaughan Williams' Riders to the Sea, all of which productions were conducted by Kenneth Montgomery.
Accompanied by his wife, pianist Natasja Douma, Albert van Ommen has sung many recitals of Lieder by Robert Schumann, Schubert, Johannes Brahms and Strauss. But he is also active in the field of oratorio. He has worked with the Nederlands Kamerorkest under Yakov Kreizberg and given concerts with pianist Rudolf Jansen. Alongside his work with the Netherlands Radio Choir and the Nederlands Kamerkoor, he has sung with the Huelgas Ensemble under the direction of Paul van Nevel. |