Hi there! I'm a jazz hornist/composer from the Netherlands. Here's a short bio...

Morris Kliphuis (1986) is one of only a handful of jazz hornists in the world. He recieved his first classical horn lessons at the age of eight, and discovered jazz in his teens. After a year of studying composition in The Hague he enrolled at the Amsterdam Conservatory to study jazz horn with Ferdinand Povel, Herman Jeurissen and Jasper Blom. In 2008 he spent a semester at Purchase College, New York, where he studied with Jon Faddis and jazz hornist John Clark. Morris won first prize and the press award at the Dutch Prinses Christina Jazz Concours 2006, recieved the 2009 Keep an Eye Jazz Award for Best Soloist, and was a finalist in the 2009 Deloitte Jazz Award.

He is also a prolific composer, having written music for symphony orchestra, big band, choir, wind ensemble, string orchestra and numerous small ensembles. In his work his background in jazz as well as classical music is evident.
He recieved commissions from the Utrechts Provinciaal Jeugdorkest AJO, the International Choir Festival and the Amsterdam Jazz Orchestra. As an arranger he worked with singer/songwriter Lucky Fonz III and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of The Netherlands. In 2003 he won the MuziekOlympiade, a competition for young composers.

Morris is an active performer in the Netherlands and abroad. He has worked with David Amram, Jesse van Ruller, Kyteman, Benjamin Herman and Jonathan Batiste, and recorded with, among others, the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Tineke Postma and Wouter Hamel.

For more information check out www.morriskliphuis.nl.

Netherlands American Community Trust - Carnegie Hall Concert
Photography by Frank van Delft - www.frankvandelft.com