Berman & Wieringa Cello & Piano
 

René Berman - cello

The cellist  René Berman  was born in 1962 and studied at the Groningen College of Music with Ben de Ligt. Having won a governement grant he was able to study with William Pleeth and participated in masterclasses given by Tibor de Machula, Milos Sadlo, Mark Lubotsky and Francis Marie Uitti. He has recorded for Dutch radio and television and has given many recitals (Purcell Room, St. Martin in the Fields in London). René Berman is currently member of the Gelders Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as soloist with many Dutch orchestras. He has lived for one year in Indonesia.


Kees Wieringa - piano

The pianist Kees Wieringa graduated from the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam in 1986. His studied with Edith Lateiner-Grosz, Willem Brons and Jan Marissse Huizing. In 1984 he was among the prizewinners of the Berlage Concours in The Hague. He gave concerts in many European countries and in Japan, USA and Indonesia. He gave masterclasses at Turkish conservatories, and was a member of the Pianoforum during the 'Ferienkurse' in Darmstadt in 1992. Several composers have dedicated works to him. Kees Wieringa made compact discs of the music of Simeon ten Holt and Morton Feldman. New recordings, with the music of Liszt, Bartok and Ginastera are in preparation.


The Duo Berman & Wieringa

The Duo Berman & Wieringa has won in 1991 the first prize of the Orpheus Concours in Antwerpen (Belgium). In 1991 a compact disc has been issued with the composition 'Untitled Composition' of the avant-garde composer Morton Feldman (Attacca Records). They have a lot of experience in giving concerts and masterclasses in other countries. In 1989 Kees Wieringa has given concerts with great succes in the Far East, at the invitation of the Dutch Government, with solopianomusic of Dutch composers. The Duo has given many concerts all over Europe and in United States as well. René Berman has given masterclasses in the Netherlands and Indonesia with new music for cello.


Compact discs

  • Morton Feldman: Untitled Composition (Attacca 9160-3) (Morton Feldman Homepage)
  • Jacob ter Veldhuis: Diverso Il Tempo (BVHaast)
  • Boudewijn Buckinx - In De Buurt Van Neptunus Cassa Nova REC CNR 950821 (Boudewijn Buckinx Homepage)
  • De Ploeg, Daniel Ruyneman and his time (Do Records 002)
  • Jacob ter Veldhuis – Heartbreakers (Emergo Classics)
 

From the press:

  • 'Mr. Berman's big tone and precision of nuance were all valuable
    in this concert' (The Times, Paul Griffiths).
  • 'Berman, a characterful cellist, had caught the restless and muscular character of some early Giles Swaynes pieces.' (The Independent, Robert Maycock).
  • 'The mysterious "Gnomic Variations" of George Crumb became a musical and faultless interpretation of Kees Wieringa. We will
    undoubtly hear more from this gifted pianist.' (Binnenhof, Erik Besier)    .
  • 'Straightforward fascinating was the playing of the pianist Kees Wieringa. There were no perceptable moments of weakness. The standing ovation was quite certainly justified.' (Noordhollands Dagblad, Jos Ruiters).
  • 'Berman and Wieringa just did it: faultlessly conjuring up for one hour
    and twenty minutes an almost unbearable tension; frustrating, a compulsion of all or nothing at all. Afterwards the full concert-hall
    had trouble adjusting to daily reality again. There is no better
    compliment for the performers.' (Gentenaar)
   
   
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