Donemus Webwinkel — Hoogenberk, Steven

Steven Hoogenberk, born in 1941, got his first lessons in composition at the age of 10 from Hans Brandts Buys in Hilversum. Later, at the Conservatory of The Hague he studied with Kees van Baaren and Ton de Leeuw. Louis Andriessen and Mischa Mengelberg were among his fellow students. Léon Orthel taught him the wonderful art of Orchestration.
During his years in Belgium, studying at the Conservatory of Brussels and the Queen Elisabeth Music Institute, he had the opportunity, together with his piano studying, to have lessons in Counterpoint from Jean Absil.
Though having chosen for a career as a pianist, composing has always been present in his life, in periods, sometimes in a rather insistent way.
From 2016, having abandoned his activities as pianist, he is entirely devoted to composing. The lucky cooperation with Donemus enables him to publish a selection of older compositions (mostly revised), and, in the same time, a steady growing collection of new work. Inspiration through Nature, Art, Literature, Poetry and the love for Beauty is resulting in an almost daily flow of new ideas. He feels privileged - with the experience and maturity of his age – to have the feeling that he is still in the middle of his creative life…
Works: Among his compositions is Symphonic work, Chambermusic, Piano works, Song Cycles, Cantatas and one Opera Concertante. One of his most acclaimed and performed compositions is Cantata Ecologica. He made several smaller Orchestral works for the Ricciotti Ensemble and a large Festival
Cantata, commissioned by the Student Choir and Orchestra of Wageningen University, the town where he lives.
Commissioned by The Anjerfonds Gelderland, he composed Ballade de Charles d’Orléans. After the completion of his First Symphony, “Embracing the Elements”, he is now working on Symphony II and III.
May 2019