Star violinist Isabelle van Keulen new artist in residence
A musician of the highest level, Dutch violinist and viola player Isabelle van Keulen has been invited to the school's artist in residence programme, with support from the Stena Foundation. Her musical versatility has made her one of her generation's most appreciated instrumentalists.
Photographer: Maike Helbig
"Getting Isabelle van Keulen to come and work with us at the Academy of Music and Drama is a great and important opportunity! We are pleased that with the help of the Stena Foundation, we can offer our students the opportunity to meet yet another top level musician,” says Petra Frank, Head of Department at the Academy of Music and Drama.
Isabelle van Keulen has performed with world-leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic in Stockholm, to name a few. As a musician, Isabelle van Keulen is versatile: she not only plays the violin, but also the viola at the same high level.
She is active in the field of symphonic music as well as chamber music in all possible ensemble formats. Among today's leading violinists, she distinguishes herself by largely playing contemporary music. Theo Loevendie and Erkki-Sven Tüür are among the composers who have written concerts specifically for Isabelle van Keulen.
She has made many recordings, among the latest being Berg's violin concerto, violin piano sonatas by Strauss, Rota and Respighi. In addition to Western classical music, van Keulen plays tango, and has released an album of interpretations of Ástor Piazzolla's music together with her own quartet.
Tango is also the theme of one of the student ensemble projects, that Isabelle van Keulen will participate in during her residency at the Academy of Music and Drama. She will also work with students in other contexts: in master classes and as a soloist in an orchestral concert under the direction of Henrik Schaefer, where the University of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra will study, rehearse and perform Igor Stravinsky's Violin Concert in D major.
"We are happy to contribute to this initiative, which gives the students the opportunity to be inspired by such an established and appreciated musician as Isabelle von Keulen, says Madeleine Olsson Eriksson, Chairman of the Board of Sten A Olsson's Foundation for Research and Culture.