Ed Spanjaard

Equally successful on the concert stage and in the orchestra pit, Ed Spanjaard is a unique figure in the classical music landscape of the Netherlands today. Working both as a conductor and a pianist, he has an affinity for a wide range of musical genres, from classical to contemporary. His production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Dutch Touring Opera achieved the highest international acclaim: “This was an orchestral Wagner; it would have caused a sensation in Bayreuth. Spanjaard supports the singers in an exemplary manner”.

Ed Spanjaard’s recordings cover a broad repertoire, ranging from Mozart concert arias and Edison Award-winning contemporary works by Ton de Leeuw and Rudolf Escher with the Netherlands Chamber Choir to a DVD recording of Boulez’ Éclat in collaboration with the composer himself. In 2019 Ed Spanjaard made a stunning recording for BIS Records of Dutch composer Joël Bons’ Nomaden with the Atlas Ensemble and cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras. The composer received the highly prestigious Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for this work.