The Royal Conservatoire ( nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium, KC) is a conservatoire in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

, providing

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after compl ...

in music and dance. The conservatoire was founded by King

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

in 1826, making it the oldest conservatoire in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Since September 2021, the KC is housed in the ''Amare'' building in the centre of the Hague, together with the Residentie Orkest and the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT).

Education

The Bachelor Music course offers a range of study options. The starting point is an individual curriculum in the fields of

Classical Music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" al ...

Early Music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classi ...

, Singing/Vocal,

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, Composition, Sonology, Art of Sound and Music Education. The Master Music course at the Royal Conservatoire covers a spectrum from performing musicians (Classical, Early and Jazz), creative and researching musicians (Composition, Sonology, ArtScience). The three Master programmes at the Royal Conservatoire are Master of Music, Master of Sonology and Master of Opera. The Master in Opera is offered by the Dutch National Opera Academy, in association with the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In 1990 the ''Royal Conservatory of The Hague'' merged with the ''Royal Academy of Art of The Hague'', into the “School of Visual Arts, Music and Dance”. In 2010 the Dutch government elevated the joint institution to “University of the Arts in The Hague”. The two do also still go by their original names as well, to underline their individual identities.

Research

Alongside education and production, research is one of the pillars of the Royal Conservatoire. The focus of research within the educational programmes is directed towards the artistic-musical and intellectual development of the students. In the Bachelor this involves the learning of basic research skills which a musician will require in their later music practice. These have relevance to the articulated ability to reflect on the musician’s own speciality. Research in the Master course is more specifically directed towards the conducting of a research project where the student specialises in their own field. Types of research in the Master can range widely, for instance the making of instruments, experimentation, historical interpretation (e.g. in function of performance practice), creative (artistic) research, cultural/critical reflection and/or research in the field of didactics or pedagogy. The topics are usually directly related to the main subject, and are of importance both for artistic and intellectual development of the student as for the development of the field of study. After the Master course students can apply for participation in the doctoral programme for musicians and composers which is facilitated by the Academy of Creative and Performing Art at

Leiden University Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city o ...

. A research training programme is offered by DocARTES, the collaboration of the Royal Conservatoire, the Conservatory of Amsterdam, the universities of Leiden,

Leuven Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...

and

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

, and the Orpheus Institute in

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...

. The final PhD defense takes place at Leiden University through the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts. Just like with the Master course, the student’s own artistic practice is the central element in the PhD course.

Alumni and faculty

The Royal Conservatoire has some notable alumni, including

Michel van der Aa Michel van der Aa (; born 10 March 1970) is a Dutch composer of contemporary classical music. Early years Michel van der Aa was born 10 March 1970 in Oss. He trained as a recording engineer at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and studie ...

Susanne Abbuehl Susanne Abbuehl (born July 30, 1970) is a Swiss/Dutch jazz singer and composer. As a child she received lessons in harpsichord, playing baroque music. At the age of 17 she went to Los Angeles where she went to a high school attending music less ...

, Hendrik Andriessen,

Richard Ayres Richard Ayres (born 29 October 1965, Cornwall) is a British composer and music teacher. Biography Born in Cornwall, England, Richard Ayres followed Morton Feldman's classes at the Darmstadt and Dartington summer schools. He studied composition, ...

, Gerard Beljon, Rudi Martinus van Dijk, Barbara Hannigan,

Rozalie Hirs Rozalie Hirs (born 7 April 1965) is a Dutch composer of contemporary classical music and a poet. The principal concerns of her work are the adventure of listening, reading, and the imagination. Biography Rozalie Hirs studied piano and voice from ...

, Geoffrey Lancaster,

Vanessa Lann Vanessa Lann (born April 6, 1968, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American-Dutch composer living in the Netherlands. Lann is known for contemporary compositions for underutilized instruments such as the bass clarinet, bassoonJanuary 23, 2014, Muzie ...

Douglas Mews Douglas Christopher Mews (born 1956), is a New Zealand classical organist and harpsichordist and he is also a composer. He holds the position of City Organist, Wellington, New Zealand. He is the brother of Constant Mews. Biography Mews was born in ...

, Susanne Regel,

Lawrence Renes Lawrence Renes (born 1970) is a Dutch-Maltese conductor. He studied violin at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and conducting at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, from which he graduated ''cum laude'' in 1993. Renes was the first prize winn ...

Paul Steenhuisen Paul Steenhuisen (born 1965 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian composer working with a broad range of acoustic and digital media. His concert music consists of orchestral, chamber, solo, and vocal music, and often includes live electr ...

Ananda Sukarlan Ananda Sukarlan-Gomez (born in Jakarta, 10 June 1968) is an Indonesian-Spanish classical composer and pianist. Background He is the son of Sukarlan and Poppy Kumudastuti. He started his music lessons at the age of 5 from his older sister, Martani ...

, Victor Varela, Henry Vega,

Rodney Waschka II Rodney Waschka II is an American composer known for his algorithmic compositions and his theatrical works. Biography Waschka studied at Brooklyn College, at the Institute of Sonology, then newly part of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and e ...

, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Clara Wildschut and Kristoffer Zegers. Notable faculty (past and present) includes

Louis Andriessen Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer, pianist and academic teacher. Considered the most influential Dutch composer of his generation, he was a central proponent of The Hague school of composition. Althoug ...

Bob van Asperen Bob van Asperen (born 8 October 1947, in Amsterdam) is a Dutch harpsichordist and early keyboard instrument performer, as well as a conductor. He graduated in 1971 from the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he studied the harpsichord with Gustav Leonh ...

, Michael Chance, Peter Kooy,

Robin Blaze Robin Blaze (born 1971 in Manchester) is an English countertenor. Early life The son of Peter Blaze, a professional golfer, and Christine, Blaze and his brother Mark grew up in Shadwell, near Leeds, and was educated at Leeds Grammar School, ...

Pascal Bertin Pascal Bertin (born 1965) is a French countertenor. Pascal Bertin began his singing career at the age of 11 years old with the Chœur d'Enfants de Paris, under the direction of Roger de Magnee, with whom he performed as a soloist around the world ...

, Dorothee Mields, Jill Feldman,

Dina Appeldoorn Christina Adriana Arendina (Dina) Koudijs-Appeldoorn (26 December 1884 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands – 4 December 1938 in The Hague) was a Dutch composer and pianist whose works, such as her two symphonic poems ''Noordzee-symfonie'' and ''Volkfe ...

Clarence Barlow Clarence Barlow (also Klarenz, born 27 December 1945) is a composer of classical and electroacoustic works. Career Barlow was one of the founders of Initiative Musik und Informatik Köln. In 1988 he was the director of music at the Internatio ...

, Richard Barrett, Konrad Boehmer, Frans Brüggen, Wim Henderickx,

Ton Koopman Antonius Gerhardus Michael Koopman (; born 2 October 1944), known professionally as Ton Koopman, is a Dutch conductor, organist, harpsichordist, and musicologist, primarily known for being the founder and director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orche ...

Yannis Kyriakides Yannis Kyriakides (Greek: Γιάννης Κυριακίδης, born 1 August 1969) is a composer of contemporary classical music, and sound art. His music explores new forms and hybrids of media, synthesizing disparate sound sources and highlight ...

, Reinbert de Leeuw, Kenneth Montgomery,

Ryo Terakado is a Japanese violinist and conductor who specializes in historically informed performance. He also plays the viola, viola d'amore and violoncello da spalla. He has been teaching at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Toho Gakuen School ...

, Kathryn Cok,

Eric Vloeimans Eric Vloeimans (; born 24 March 1963) is a Dutch musician, songwriter, and record producer. Biography Although he studied classical music as a child, he became interested in jazz at the Rotterdam Academy of Music. After graduating in 1988, h ...

Luis Otavio Santos Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...

and

Dorothea Winter Dorothea Angelika Winter (November 27, 1949 – November 11, 2012) was a German recorder player and recorder teacher. She taught recorder at the Conservatory of Zwolle, Maastricht and at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She was a founder and a ...

References

External links

*
Effects of the Bologna Declaration on Professional Music Training in Europe

European Association of Conservatoires (AEC)

Image and Sound/ArtScience department website
{{authority control Music schools in the Netherlands Performing arts education in the Netherlands Educational institutions established in 1826 1826 establishments in the Netherlands