Henk Neven - About

In the first place it was a big surprise to have been awarded the BBT Fellowship. In the second place a big honour and excitement. I knew about the trust, but not what it could and would mean for me. After having been awarded I spoke to a ‘BBT-awarded’ friend, who told me the most beautiful things about the Trust and the people working for it. This is an absolute truth. It’s a generous, warm, music-loving and caring group of people – who care for music, careers and human beings.

The effortless charm, warmth and sincerity of Dutch baritone Henk Neven and the remarkable timbre and vocal colours of his singing make him a regular and welcome guest in many of the leading opera houses and concert halls in Europe’s capital cultural cities, including London, Berlin, Paris, Brussels and throughout his homeland. He is also recognised as an especially fine interpreter of song with many successful recordings to his name: “Neven’s highly individual timbre is unlike any other lieder interpreter’s … he sings with astonishing technical finesse, verbal acuity and a sense of wonder” (Sunday Times).

Henk’s BBT award enabled him to record and promote his highly praised debut album with his regular recital partner Hans Eijsackers, Auf Einer Burg, featuring songs themed on fantasies, dreams and the passing of time by Loewe and Schumann, and released on Onyx Classics. Henk also teamed up with BBT alumnus Llŷr Williams for a song recital as part of BBT’s 10th anniversary weekend at London’s Southbank Centre in 2013.

Henk was supported with a BBT Fellowship between 2009 and 2011.

For a current biography please visit henkneven.com

Read a blog by Henk, Schumann with the spirit of Britten, here

Press Release: Every Song Tells a Story

Photographs by Marco Borggreve