Biography of Laurens van Rooyen
Laurens van Rooyen is one of the most well known pianists and composers of the Netherlands He has recorded more than 45 CD’s with internationally well known songs, such as: Just a Simple Lovesong and Imaginary Landscapes. Being deeply committed to young people as well as to the environment he regularly works with academies of music and the Amsterdam Learning Orchestra for deprived children, but also with the Dutch largest nature organisation Natuurmonumenten (Music of Water) and with dance composers ( Dance Opera Orfeo).
Laurens gives special concerts on a regular basis, for example castle concerts, summer concerts in a Coach House along the river Vecht and Hearts Desire Concerts, giving the public the opportunity to make a special musical request by email. Remarkable are also his narrative concerts to celebrate a jubilee of a company or the parting of a top executive.
His love for musical theatre becomes apparent in theatre programmes such as The Missing Mistress and his cantatas composed especially for large choirs, for example the Domcantate ( Cathedral Cantate) composed on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the Dom Cathedral in Utrecht.
Van Rooyen has always been intrigued by developments in music that open up new horizons. He was one of the first classically trained musicians to become aware of the great potential of House Music and, later, of contemporary Dance Music. During a holiday in Venice the idea of the Dance Opera was conceived, based on the ancient theme of Orfeo. Together with Geert Huinink, composer for DJ Tiesto, he composed the music. The Dance Opera Orfeo was the opening act of the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2005.
The many requests Laurens van Rooyen receives by email for his CD’s and piano books prove that his music is of universal interest. In Japan the song Imaginary Landscapes is played on the radio on a daily basis. But also in countries like the USA and South Africa he has many fans.
Van Rooyen, awarded with the Golden Harp, has gained international acclaim as a film composer with soundtracks such as Rembrandt, Eline Vere, Mysteries, Affair Play and Hugo van Lawick’s nature film Serengeti Symphony, internationally released by Walt Disney.
His recent album The Romantic Piano (summer 2011) is above all a hymn to the piano as his favourite instrument. The old and new compositions on this CD reveal not only an inspired pianist but also a composer who combines musical quality of a high level with the art of simplicity and of universal accessibility. No coincidence, van Rooyen says: ‘in a world of conflicts and contrasts music can make the connections.’ In this spirit he offered his ‘Song for Piano’ at the disposal of the Medical Knowledge Institute as the tune for the educative radio programmes in the townships of South Africa. Part of the revenues of this CD will be donated to MKI.
The motto of Laurens van Rooyen:
