| Biography | The Dutch tenor, Joost van der Linden, studied at the Royal Conservatory at The Hague and at Rotterdam Conservatory. He attended master-classes at the Britten-Pears school in Aldeburgh, England, and was invited to participate in a master-class given by British baritone Sir Thomas Allen (The Samling Foundation).
Joost van der Linden has sung with Collegium Vocale Gent and La Chapelle Royale under their music director, Philippe Herreweghe, as well as with the Musicalische Compagney (Berlin) and the Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam. At present he works on a free-lance basis with the Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands Chamber Choir) and Ton Koopmans Amsterdam Baroque Choir.
Joost van der Linden is much sought after as an oratorio soloist, and in addition to a specialisation in Baroque works, such as J.S. Bachs St. Matthew (BWV 244) and St. John (BWV 245) Passions, in which he usually performs the role of Evangelist, he also sings roles in many classical and romantic oratorios. His broad musical interest spans many periods, from Monteverdi and H. Schütz (17th century) to Igor Stravinsky and B. Britten (20th century). He performed in the Scapino Ballets production of Les Noces by I. Stravinsky. He has worked as a soloist for many eminent conductors, such as Jurjen Hempel, Jane Glover, Jos van Veldhoven, Werner Herbers (Ebony Band Amsterdam), Jed Wentz (Musica Ad Rhenum) and Ton Koopman.
Joost van der Linden' solo engagements outside of his native Holland include George Frideric Handels opera Acis and Galatea (at the Gergynog Festival in Wales), the Fairy Queen by Purcell (Aldeburgh Festival), Monteverdis 1610 Vespers (Berlin), G.F. Handels Alceste (Festival de Tréguier et Semaines Musicales de Quimper) and Bastien und Bastienne (Festival Opera dEté de Dijon). He has also appeared in solo roles in concerts in Hollands Festival voor Oude Muziek and Germanys Tage Alter Musik in Herne.
With the vocal ensemble SongCircle, of which is he one of the founders, Joost van der Linden gives recitals of art song.
His CD recordings include solo work in the important new series of J.S. Bach cantatas with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under its director Ton Koopman, and Purcells Timon of Athens with Musica Ad Rhenum. |