Yuri Van Nieuwkerk

Yuri van Nieuwkerk was six years old when his father, the composer Willem Wander van Nieuw kerk, began to teach him the piano. From the age of twelve, he studied for ten years with the Russian concert pianist Mila Baslawskaya at the Amsterdam Conservatory. In this period Yuri won prizes at a number of competitions for the youth, including the Princess Christina Compe-tition and the competition of the Stichting Jong Muziektalent Nederland. He completed his studies at the Amsterdam Conservatory with David Kuyken, taking his Masters in 2012. As he pursues a concert career, Yuri is coached by celebrities including Karl-Heinz Kammerling, Jacques Rouvier and Dmitri Alexeev. In addition to solo repertoire, Yuri van Nieuw kerk is very active in chamber music, working with various ensembles, winning prizes at competitions and performing in Holland and abroad. In 2001 Yuri and Rosanne met at a summer school high up in the mountains of Switzerland. Playing together, it became clear that they had much in common in their musicianship. On returning to Holland they decided to form a duo, and this has been a great success. Today they continue to play together and their musicianship – both as individuals and as a duo – is recognised increasingly. The duo was awarded the Netherlands Programming Foundation Duo Prize at the National Violin Competition, and has broadcast on Dutch classical radio and TV. At the latest Vriendenkrans/het Debuut they won Het Debuut, and with it a grant for further studies and a series of ten concerts at leading chamber music venues in Holland in 2013. The duo has also performed in Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein