Katinka Kleijn has been a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1995. Her list of solo credits includes appearances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Youth Concerts; The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra; the Chicago Sinfonietta; the Symphony Orchestras of Elmhurst, Sheboygan, DuPage and Indian Hill; the Highland Park Strings, the New Millennium Orchestra; and the Illinois Philharmonic. Kleijn appeared at the Marlboro Music Festival, on the Ravinia Festival’s Rising Star Series, and won first prize in the Dutch National Princess Christina Competition at age 16 in her native country of The Netherlands.
An avid chamber musician, she has partnered with pianists Christoph Eschenbach and Richard Goode, cellist Lynn Harrell, joined the Chicago Chamber Musicians in 2006, and was invited to join the Kronos Quartet earlier in her career. As a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), she toured to Poland and Mexico, and performed the American premiere of “Zona” for solo cello and 7 instruments by Magnus Lindberg at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center. She regularly performs on the CSO’s MusicNow Series, recently in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s “Kai” for solo cello and ensemble with Cliff Colnot conducting. Her May 2007 American premiere of “Eternal Escape” by Dai Fujikura is available on iTunes, and was described by John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune as “a five-minute tour de force, played with wonderfully incisive bravado”.
Her 2003 recording of the David Baker Cello Concerto, with the Chicago Sinfonietta on the Cedille label, won rave reviews: The Strad magazine writes that “Kleijn gives infectious energy to the performance”; Fanfare comments that “Kleijn brings plenty of temperament and gorgeous tone to her solo part.” She also recorded Huang Ruo’s Chamber Concerto with ICE on the Naxos label, and the Dello Joio Trio for Boston Records.
Kleijn has performed in a variety of styles, such as performing with jazz saxophonists Greg Ward and Steve Lehman. She forms a duo with songwriter/guitarist Joel Styzens (relax-your-ears.com). Their CD Relax Your Ears was released in April '09, and immediately picked for "Editors Choice" by CDBaby. It is available on http://cdbaby.com/cd/styzens. She is a member of the progrock metal band District 97, who is currently in the studio recording, and the Greg Ward Sextet.
To seek support for her younger colleagues, Kleijn founded the Holland-America Music Society and in 2000, launched the annual HAMS Competition for strings, distinguished by its first prize award—the full time use of a fine contemporary Dutch instrument.
Hey, I just wanted to let you know that you won't be seeing me at 11 anymore. I quit on Easter... haha. So we will definitely have to keep in touch over the "inter-web" for concerts and what-not! I hope everything is going well : )
Liebe Katinka, viel Erfolg für das Konzert heute, indem ein Stück von Austria (teilweise sehr gemischt - zumindest meinerseits)zu hören wird. Ob ich zur "Wiener Schule" gehöre, bleibt offen - ha-ha... alles Gute. Alexandra.
The show was amazing! (still editing the video clips - will get that to you soon.)
For those of you stopping by and reading this ... order the CD now! (or download thru CDBaby)
Katinka and Joel have created a compelling collection of original compositions filled with warmth, passion and musical exploration that is a joy to hear.
