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The Belgian baritone and voice teache, Jurgen Vollens, studied in Leuven, where he obtained the title Master in Music (options singing and chamber music) and ‘Specialization to the Master Singing’ with Jan Caals and Lieve Jansen. After that he perfected himself with David Wilson-Johnson in Amsterdam. He participated in several master-classes with amongst others Jard van Nes (Nentherlands), Alexander Oliver (England), Peter Kooy (Nentherlands) and Christoph Prégardien (Germany).
As a soloist Jurgen Vollens is mainly active as an oratorio singer. He sang J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) and Mass in B minor (BWV 232), W.A. Mozart’s and Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, George Frideric Handel's Messiah and the bass solos in masses and cantatas of J.S. Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, W.A. Mozart, Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn and Dvorak. He also regularly performs the more modern repertoire, such as pieces of Anton Webern, Arthur Honegger and Weill.
Jurgen Vollens collaborated in creations of Flemish composers. The Ghent version of the ‘ohannespassion by Johan Desmet and the Apocalyps by Kurt Bikkembergs are just a few examples. With The Juliet Letters by Elvis Costello (in collaboration with the string quartet of the Flemish Opera) and the prestigious concert ‘Lord of the Rings’ (in collaboration with the Flemish Radio Orchestra) he has proven that he also splendidly handles the lighter genre. His musical adventures have brought him all over Europe, where he has worked with a wide range of national and international conductors and ensembles.
Jurgen Vollens has extensive experience as an ensemble singer within professional choirs, such as Collegium Vocale Gent (Director: Philippe Herreweghe), Flemish Radio Choir and Netherlands Radio Choir, Grand Broadcast Choir, Flemish Opera, Köln Oper and the Munt. He travelled the world with the sublime male choirs of Schubert in the project ‘Ruhe’ by the musical theatre Transparant.
Jurgen Vollens accompanies singers and choirs of different styles on a voice-technical level. Some of his previous students have successfully followed training at, amongst others, the Musical Academy of Tilburg. He is currently teaching singing to the Academies of Menen and Londerzeel. Starting from his singing training with Lieve Jansen he became fascinated with a ‘healthy voice usage’, properly backed-up by scientific research. Together with Lieve Jansen and Sarah Algoet he has therefore started Evta-Be, with which he tries to pass on his fascination to every singer out there. As treasurer, he has been able to extend the working of Evta-Be from the start until 2016 |
