Jörgen Van Rijen - About

It was a great honour to receive a BBT Award and to feel the support of such a wonderful organisation and group of people. It is fantastic to be able to realise some dream-projects that would probably not have happened without the support of BBT. The award will be used to realise a series of CD recordings and some commissions for new pieces for trombone together with different instruments. The trombone is still a bit unknown as a solo and chamber music instrument. Hopefully these recordings and commissions will contribute to the promotion of the trombone and the development of its repertoire and I am extremely grateful to BBT for making this possible.

Dutch trombonist Jörgen van Rijen is one of the finest trombonists of his generation and unrivalled in his passion for promoting the virtuosity and versatility of his instrument to the broadest possible audience: “In sound, dynamic, colour, musical understanding and expressiveness, van Rijen is unequalled“ (Luister). As well as being first trombone with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, a position he has held since 1997, he is much in demand as a soloist the world over, as well as in chamber ensembles such as the New Trombone Collective which he founded in 2007.

Jörgen’s BBT award enabled him to demonstrate his mastery of both the baroque and modern trombone in two contrasting recordings (Channel Classics); Sackbutt explores trombone pieces from the 17th and 18th centuries, while I Was Like, WOW! is an eclectic mix of repertoire with a personal ‘wow’ factor for Jörgen, including the titular work especially composed for him by Jacob TV inspired by the shock and destruction of modern warfare. BBT rolled both projects into a short film, Wow! From Baroque to Right Now.

Jörgen has also inspired many renowned composers to write for him including Kalevi Aho, from whom he commissioned a concerto with BBT’s support which was met with critical acclaim – “van Rijen and Aho turned the trombone into a fount of melodic grace and gambolling, cradled over four generous movements by an equally refined orchestra” (The Times) – and was also recorded to mark Aho’s 70th birthday.

In addition to setting up a London showcase concert, BBT also invited Jörgen to participate in its 10th anniversary weekend at Southbank Centre in 2013.

Jörgen was supported with a BBT Award between 2006 and 2012.

For a current biography please visit rayfieldallied.com

Read Jörgen’s blogs: Kalevi Aho’s Trombone Concerto here; and Two new trombone CDs here

Press Releases: Kalevi Aho’s New Trombone Concerto / Pastoral vs Visceral – An Evocation of War in Words and Music

Photographs by Marco Borggreve