Niek Baar & Ben Kim
Biography Niek Baar & Ben Kim
Niek Baar
In recent years, Dutch violinist Niek Baar has made a name for himself as a charismatic and serious musician, who has managed to thrill audiences nationally and internationally, in renowned venues as the Philarmonie Berlin, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Oriental Centre Shanghai and the Gasteig in Munich.
A major boost to his career came in 2018 when he won first prize at the Oskar Back Competition in the Netherlands.
Niek, who made his solo debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic at the age of 16, is a regular soloist with orchestras such as the German Radio Philarmonie Saarbrücken, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Residentie Orkest in The Hague.
He is also an enthusiastic chamber musician and a frequent guest at festivals such as the Bach Festival Dordrecht (Netherlands), Marvão International Music Festival (Portugal) and the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany)
An intensive and long-term musical collaboration links him with American-American pianist Ben Kim, with whom he has already given several duo recitals at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Konzerthaus Berlin and the Gasteig München (broadcast live by BR-Klassik). This was followed by their debut at the Philharmonie Essen in November 2021. For 'Avrotros Klassiek', the two musicians recorded a CD of duo works by Kreisler, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.
A particular highlight recently was Niek's return as soloist with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, with whom he played Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy in three concerts at the Rotterdam Doelen, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam.
Recent projects included concerts with the Deutsche Radiophilharmonie Saarbrücken (Paganini), the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss and Isabelle van Keulen (Mozart, Schnittke), the Philharmonisches Orchester Vorpommern (Schumann) and duo recitals with pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout (Concertgebouw and Vredenburg)
Niek Baar toured through Europe with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra and recorded his debut CD 'Obsession' with them for Channel Classics / Outhere Music, which was released in August 2022 and has since received extremely positive reviews both nationally and internationally.
Important pillars in the violinist's broad repertoire are the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and György Kurtág, who's solo works Niek has often performed in solo recitals. But a most special connection he has with the music of Robert Schumann, which fascinates him as a person and composer, and whose three violin sonatas and rarely performed violin concerto are among Niek's core repertoire. Recently he recorded Clara and Robert Schumann's violin and piano works for Channel Classics / Outhere Music together with pianist Ben Kim. This album called 'Solitude' will be released in September 2023.
A recording of Schumann's Violin Concerto has also been recorded with conductor Christoph Poppen and the Deutsche Radiophilarmonie and will be released in 2024.
Niek has won numerous national and international music competitions, including the first prize of the National Violin Competition 'Oskar Back' in 2018, the Princess Christina Competition 2010 (1st prize) and "International Solo Bach Competition" in London 2012 (1st prize). He also received the Grommek Prize at the Kronberg Festival and was awarded the Kersjes Prize in 2015.
Niek Baar was born in Rotterdam in 1991 and received his first violin lessons at the age of eight. Four years later, he was admitted to the preliminary training at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. Here, he studied with Mireille van der Wart, and Peter Brunt and graduated cum laude in 2012. He then studied at the Hochschule für Musik 'Hanns Eisler' in Berlin with Prof Stephan Picard, where he obtained his master's degree with distinction in July 2016. From 2016, Niek continued his studies in Munich with Prof Christoph Poppen. Two other musicians and teachers who greatly inspired Niek were Mihaela Martin and Dutch cellist Anner Bylsma.
Niek lives in Berlin. He plays on a violin 'ex Vornbaum' built by Carlo Bergonzi in Cremona in 1729. This violin belongs to the Tjardus Greidanus Foundation in Amsterdam and has been loaned to Niek by the foundation.
Ben Kim
He has garnered critical acclaim for his performances worldwide, at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, Musikverein, Gewandhaus, Suntory Hall, and the Kennedy Center with orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio, German Radio, Baltimore, Seoul Philharmonic, and St Petersburg Hermitage State Symphonies.
Ben was the recipient of the Rheingau Musik Festival’s 2017 LOTTO Career Development Prize. The international jury panel made its decision upon the following stated reasons:
“His brilliant technique and his incredible flair for interpretive refinement are self-evident….an exceptional phenomenon among pianists his generation – such a natural, sympathetic charisma and pleasant modesty, coupled with great virtuosity, are rarely experienced with a leading musician.”
In 2014 he was one of six recipients selected among a pool of more than 13,000 graduates at the Johns Hopkins University to be awarded an Outstanding Recent Graduate Award for outstanding achievement or service in any professional field. His career was first launched after having won First Prize at the prestigious ARD Munich International Music Competition for Piano in 2006.
Ben’s recording of the Chopin Préludes and Impromptus released on Universal Decca was given an Editor’s Choice selection by Record Geijutsu. “Without nervousness or over-excitement, without boasting technique or exaggeration,” the critic describes of the album, “Kim plays Chopin’s music as if he were breathing it.”
He has additional recordings out on Sony Classical and Klavier-Festival Ruhr labels featuring works by his favorite composers, including Mozart, Debussy and Schumann. Most recently Ben released a new album of Mozart Piano Concertos with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra on the Challenge Records label to critical acclaim.
He is planning a second album of Mozart Piano Concertos in May 2021. Ben’s performances have been broadcast on radio and television on all continents.
Ben was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he began studying piano at age five with Dorothy Fahlman. He made his solo debut at age eight and his orchestral debut at twelve. At age 20, Ben received his Bachelor’s degree at the Peabody Conservatory as a student of Leon Fleisher. He continued his studies at Peabody with Mr. Fleisher together with Yong Hi Moon after graduating.
In addition, Ben was selected to attend the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy, a program for seven pianists, headed by Martha Argerich and William Grant Naboré. He finished his studies at the Berlin University of Arts with Klaus Hellwig.
Ben is a longtime member of the German Alpine Society (Deutsche Alpenverein) and resides in Berlin.
