Sebastien Van Kuijk (cello)
Sebastien van Kuijk studied with Erwan Fauré in Schola Cantorum of ParisParis where he obtained first prizes of cello and chamber music and in the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de (with Jean-Marie Gamard, Christian Ivaldi, Alain Meunier and Jean Mouillère). Then he continued his perfecting studies with Philippe Muller, and Frans Helmerson at the Hochschule in Cologne. He has received during master-classes, advices from Natalia Chakoswskaya, Gary Hoffman, Maria Kliegel, Aldo Parisot, Janos Starker, David Geringas, Jens Peter Maintz, Gabor Takacs-Nagy, Harald Schoneweg from Cherubini Quartet, and Pieter Wiespelwey.
In 1999, he wins the third prize of the ” International Competition of Young Concert performers ” of Douai (France),then next year the 2nd Grand Prix and the special prize Gustav Mahler in the International Competition ” Prague Spring 2000 “. In 2001 he is a prize-winner of the Musical Forum of Normandy as well as the Competition ” Avant-Scènes ” (Paris – France) organized by the CNSMDP and the Cité de la Musique.The same year he becomes a prize-winner of the 7th Rostropovitch Competition with the “Meilleur Espoir” Prize (Best Hope) offered by the SACEM and in September 2004 the 5th prize of the International Pablo Casals Cello Competition in Kronberg / Fankfurt (Germany).
He was successively prize winner of the Musical Patronage of the SYLFF (Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund) of Tokyo Foundation, NATIXIS (Banques Populaires Group), the Société Générale music patronage and of the Meyer Foundation which allowed him to record a recital CD with Crumb/Brahms/Prokofiev works, in the “Young Soloists” series. A live recording on CD also took place May 2003 in Radio France, with the support of the AFAA (French Association of Artistic Action). In addition of Brahms and Mendelssohn second sonatas – with Geoffroy Couteau playing the piano – this recording suggests the Aram Khatchaturian solo cello Sonata-Fantasia and, , the Karol Beffa solo cello sonata. These choices reflect the interest shown by Sébastien to the rare works and contemporary music. In October 2004, he pointed out by his interpretation as a soloist with the Concerts Lamoureux orchestra of the Boris Tchaikovsky’s Cello Concerto, which has not been replayed since its creation by Rostropovitch in Moscow 1964. French composer Nicolas Bacri dedicates him his Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra in 2004 and Thierry Escaich consults him in the development of his cello work. Sebastien also worked the Henri Dutilleux’s Trois Strophes sur le nom de Sacher with the Maestro himself and played during the concert held at Maison de Radio France in 2006 for his 90th Anniversary.
Sebastien has appeared as soloist with, among others, the Paris Symphony Orchestra of the Republican Guard, the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra of Bohemia, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, Bulgaria National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt Paris Orchestral Ensemble and the Concerts Lamoureux Orchestra. He has given recital concerts at Salle Gaveau, in Louvre Auditorium, Radio France, Cité de la Musique, Orsay museum, Cortot hall, Archipel Hall, Arsenal Hall in Metz, the Rudolfinum Hall in Prague, in Rostock/Germany and Italy.
He is regularly invited to music festivals like Musicales of Mortagne, Saint-Cosme Festival , European Youth Talent Festival in Paris, Entrecasteaux, the Easter Festival and Summer Festival in Deauville, Cordes-sur-Ciel Festival, Epau Festival, Serres d’Auteuil and plays with musical regular partners such as Renaud Capuçon, Bertrand Chamayou, Dana Ciocarlie, Geoffroy Couteau, Jérôme Ducros, Augustin Dumay, Florent Héau, Gary Hoffman, Marie Josèphe Jude,Paul Meyer, Svetlin Roussev, Alexandre Tharaud, Cedric Tiberghien,…
Selected by the AFAA to represent “French Colors” in Asia during a tour in June 2006, he played in Hong Kong and Bangkok. In August 2007, the Holland Music Sessions selected him to be one of the “New Masters on Tour” for the season 2008-2009. This will allow him to play at the Concertgebouw Hall in Amsterdam, The Hague, in Bergen,… He will also appear at the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad (Switzerland) which honorary member this season is cellist Mischa Maisky) in February 2008, and Théâtre des Champs Élysées in September of that year. A disc of Mendelssohn’s works for cello and piano with pianist Dana Ciocarlie will be released next May 2009 Sebastien plays on a cello by François FENDT made in early 19th century which is a loan from the French Instrumental Fund.