Coenraad Bloemendal
Encyclopedia
Coenraad Bloemendal is a Canadian cellist, who has performed, taught and recorded primarily in the field of classical music
during a career that has spanned more than four decades.
Indiana
in the United States to study cello with Janos Starker
and chamber music
with William Primrose
.
. At 19, he joined a group of cellists from the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam for a tour of Holland and Belgium
. In 1971 Bloemendal moved to Canada and joined Camerata (chamber emsemble), which was one of the leading Canadian chamber ensembles of the seventies and consisted of the classically trained musicians: Elyakim Taussig and Kathryn Root (pianists), Suzanne Shulman (flute), James Campbell
(clarinet), and Adele Armin (violin). On occasion, they were joined by Mary Lou Fallis
(soprano
). Their unique programming concepts saw them joined by illustrious artists from various disciplines such as Maureen Forrester
, Moe Koffman
, Don Thompson
and Doug Riley
, Glenn Gould
, The National Ballet of Canada
, actor Tony Van Bridge and many others. Camerata Canada accompanied Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
to inaugurate cultural relations with Mexico
, Venezuela
and Cuba
. In the late seventies Camerata embarked on several European tours. The group disbanded in 1982.
programs called “Music in Our Time” which Glenn Gould directed in the mid seventies. He then worked with the late pianist on two other occasions: a cello solo which Gould wrote for him to play in his radio program “The Quiet in the Land” and a cello and bass piece which he played with Joel Quarrington
as part of a film score Gould wrote for the Canadian movie “The Wars
” directed by Robin Phillips
shortly before he died.
(piano) and Gerard Kantarjian (violin). They toured Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean and made five recordings for the American label Dorian Recordings. The group disbanded in 1997.
As a recitalist, Bloemendal played for 25 years with pianist Valerie Tryon
. He also has a long association with legendary jazz musician Don Thompson
, who has written many compositions for him for recordings and concerts.
from 1982-2000. He was the head of the string department at York University
from 1980–1984, and he taugh cellist Ofra Harnoy
when she was 10 years old.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
during a career that has spanned more than four decades.
Formal Training
In the min-1960s Bloemendal studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory with Holland’s leading cello pedagogue Carel van Leeuwen Boomkamp (also the teacher of Anner Bijlsma). After graduation he moved to BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in the United States to study cello with Janos Starker
János Starker
János Starker |Kingdom of Hungary]]) is a Hungarian-American cellist. Since 1958 he has taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he holds the title of Distinguished Professor.- Child prodigy :...
and chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
with William Primrose
William Primrose
William Primrose CBE was a Scottish violist and teacher.-Biography:Primrose was born in Glasgow and studied violin initially. In 1919 he moved to study at the then Guildhall School of Music in London. On the urging of the accompanist Ivor Newton, Primrose moved to Belgium to study under Eugène...
.
Early career
Still in his teens, Bloemendal started touring with a professional chamber ensemble in Holland and GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. At 19, he joined a group of cellists from the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam for a tour of Holland and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. In 1971 Bloemendal moved to Canada and joined Camerata (chamber emsemble), which was one of the leading Canadian chamber ensembles of the seventies and consisted of the classically trained musicians: Elyakim Taussig and Kathryn Root (pianists), Suzanne Shulman (flute), James Campbell
James Campbell (clarinetist)
James Campbell is a Canadian/American clarinetist. James Campbell has followed his muse to five television specials, more than 40 recordings, over 30 works commissioned, a Juno Award , a Roy Thomson Hall Award, Canada's Artist of the Year and the Order of Canada...
(clarinet), and Adele Armin (violin). On occasion, they were joined by Mary Lou Fallis
Mary Lou Fallis
Mary Lou Fallis is a Canadian opera singer. She performs both serious opera and comedic shows as the character Primadonna, a satirical take on popular stereotypes of opera divas....
(soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
). Their unique programming concepts saw them joined by illustrious artists from various disciplines such as Maureen Forrester
Maureen Forrester
Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, was a Canadian operatic contralto.-Life and career:Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in a poor section of Montreal, Quebec. She was one of four children to Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmaker, and his Irish-born wife, the former May Arnold. She...
, Moe Koffman
Moe Koffman
Moe Koffman, OC was a Canadian jazz musician and composer. He played the flute, soprano, alto and tenor saxophone and clarinet...
, Don Thompson
Don Thompson (musician)
Donald Winston Thompson, OC is a Canadian jazz musician who plays bass, piano, and vibes. Thompson formed part of the Toronto Quartet of Paul Desmond during the mid seventies, and that effort produced two stellar albums. Other personnel on those dates, mostly at Bourbon Street in Toronto, were...
and Doug Riley
Doug Riley
Doug Riley, CM was a Canadian musician. Born in Toronto, Ontario and informally referred to as "Doctor Music", he spent two decades with the Famous People Players as its musical director, besides his participation on over 300 album projects in various genres...
, Glenn Gould
Glenn Gould
Glenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
, The National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, actor Tony Van Bridge and many others. Camerata Canada accompanied Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
to inaugurate cultural relations with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. In the late seventies Camerata embarked on several European tours. The group disbanded in 1982.
Work with Glenn Gould
Bloemendal first worked with the legendary pianist in two CBC TelevisionCBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
programs called “Music in Our Time” which Glenn Gould directed in the mid seventies. He then worked with the late pianist on two other occasions: a cello solo which Gould wrote for him to play in his radio program “The Quiet in the Land” and a cello and bass piece which he played with Joel Quarrington
Joel Quarrington
Joel Quarrington , is a Canadian double bass player, soloist and teacher.He was born in Toronto, and began playing the double bass at the age of eleven in order to complete a bluegrass trio with his brothers, Paul Quarrington and Tony Quarrington...
as part of a film score Gould wrote for the Canadian movie “The Wars
The Wars
The Wars is a 1977 novel by Timothy Findley telling the story of a young Canadian officer in World War I. First published by Clarke Irwin, it won the Governor General's Award for fiction in 1977.-Plot overview:...
” directed by Robin Phillips
Robin Phillips
Robin Phillips is an English actor and director.Phillips was born in Haslemere, Surrey, the son of EllenAnne and James William Phillips. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic and worked as an actor and director for many years in the United Kingdom, finishing as Artistic Director at the Greenwich...
shortly before he died.
Later career
Bloemendal’s career continued unabated and he performed with other chamber groups such as: The Toronto Chamber Players, The Toronto Septet, The Canadian Chamber Ensemble, The Amati Quartet. In 1986, he founded another significant group; The Rembrandt Trio, with Valerie TryonValerie Tryon
Valerie Tryon is a British-born classical pianist. Since 1971 she has resided in Canada, but continues to pursue an international performing and recording career, and spends a part of each year in her native Britain. Among her specialisms is the music of Franz Liszt, of which she has made a number...
(piano) and Gerard Kantarjian (violin). They toured Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean and made five recordings for the American label Dorian Recordings. The group disbanded in 1997.
As a recitalist, Bloemendal played for 25 years with pianist Valerie Tryon
Valerie Tryon
Valerie Tryon is a British-born classical pianist. Since 1971 she has resided in Canada, but continues to pursue an international performing and recording career, and spends a part of each year in her native Britain. Among her specialisms is the music of Franz Liszt, of which she has made a number...
. He also has a long association with legendary jazz musician Don Thompson
Don Thompson (musician)
Donald Winston Thompson, OC is a Canadian jazz musician who plays bass, piano, and vibes. Thompson formed part of the Toronto Quartet of Paul Desmond during the mid seventies, and that effort produced two stellar albums. Other personnel on those dates, mostly at Bourbon Street in Toronto, were...
, who has written many compositions for him for recordings and concerts.
Teaching career
Bloemendal taught at the Royal Conservatory of MusicRoyal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is a music school and performance venue in Toronto, Canada. Other uses of the term include:*The Madrid Royal Conservatory, Spain*The Royal Academy of Music, London, United Kingdom...
from 1982-2000. He was the head of the string department at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
from 1980–1984, and he taugh cellist Ofra Harnoy
Ofra Harnoy
Ofra Harnoy is a Canadian cellist.Harnoy moved with her family to Toronto in 1971. When she was six, she began cello lessons with her father, Jacob Harnoy...
when she was 10 years old.
Current activities
In May 2010, Bloemendal founded a new ensemble called Trio Desiree with Desiree Till (soprano), and Erica Goodman, (harp). The group has played in Summer Festivals in Ontario and Quebec and already three Canadian Composers have written new works for the combo, with more new works being commissioned.With Camerata
- CBC RecordsCBC RecordsCBC Records is a Canadian record label, owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which distributes CBC programming, including live concert performances in album and digital format....
LP SM 278 - works by Beethoven, Martinu and Mozart (1976) - CBC Records LP SM 313 - works by SchoenbergSchoenbergSchoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
, Strauss and BergGunnar BergGunnar Berg was a Swiss-born Danish composer, and perhaps the leading exponent of serialism in Denmark.Berg was born to Danish and Swedish parents in Switzerland. He studied with Herman David Koppel from 1938 to 1942, and moved to Paris in 1948, where he became associated with Honegger and Messiaen...
(1976) - Crystal Records LP S642 - works by Saint-Saens, Fanny MendelssohnFanny MendelssohnFanny Cäcilie Mendelssohn , later Fanny Hensel, was a German pianist and composer, the sister of the composer Felix Mendelssohn and granddaughter of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn...
(1978) - Golden Crest Recrords LP CRS 4194 - with Paul BrodiePaul BrodiePaul Brodie was a Canadian saxophonist. In 1994, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour, for having "shown true mastery of his art through his ability to reach all ages with his music".Since 1960, he performed over 2500 concerts in Canada, U.S.A., Mexico,...
(saxophone) - works by Ben McPeekBen McPeekBenjamin Dewey McPeek was a Canadian composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist. In 1964 he established his own company, Ben McPeek Ltd., which promoted himself as a "jingle" writer for radio and television...
, Harry FreedmanHarry FreedmanHarry Freedman , was a Canadian composer, english hornist, and music educator of Polish birth. He wrote a significant amount of symphonic works, including several film scores, and also composed a substantial amount of chamber music...
and others (1980)
With Joel Quarrington
- Crystal Records LP S 135 - Duos for Cello and Bass – Rossini, OffenbachJacques OffenbachJacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
, Massenet (1982)
With Roxolana Roslak
- Centrediscs LP WRC1 2895 – Duos for Cello and Soprano - Harry SomersHarry SomersHarry Stewart Somers, CC was the foremost English-Canadian composer of his period.He was born in middle-class Toronto in 1925 but did not become interested in music until his early teenage years, when he met a doctor and his wife, both pianists, who introduced him to classical music...
, Vilolet Archer, Jean CoulthardJean CoulthardJean Coulthard, was a Canadian composer and music educator. She was part of a trio of women composers who dominated Western Canadian music in the twentieth century: Coulthard, Barbara Pentland, and Violet Archer. All three died within weeks of each other in 2000...
(1983)
With Glenn Gould
- Sony Records SM2K 52664 – SchoenbergSchoenbergSchoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
, Pierrot LunairePierrot LunaireDreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds 'Pierrot lunaire' , commonly known simply as Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 , is a melodrama by Arnold Schoenberg...
op.21 (1974, 1994) - Sony SK 52679 - PoulencFrancis PoulencFrancis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
, AubadeAubadeAn aubade is a morning love song , or a song or poem about lovers separating at dawn. It has also been defined as "a song or instrumental composition concerning, accompanying, or evoking daybreak"....
(1975, 1997)
With The Rembrandt Trio
- Dorian Recordings, DOR-90130 - Trios by MendelssohnMendelssohnMendelson is a Polish/German Jewish family name, meaning "son of Mendel", Mendel being a Yiddish diminutive of the Hebrew given name Menahem, meaning "consoling" or "one who consoles".Mendelssohn is the surname of a number of people:...
and Schubert (1990) - Dorian Recordings DOR-90146 - Trios by Tchaikovsky and Arensky (1991)
- Dorian Recordings DOR-90160 - Trios by Brahms and DvorakAntonín DvorákAntonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
(1992) - Dorian Recordings DOR-90187 - Trios by ChaminadeCécile ChaminadeCécile Louise Stéphanie Chaminade was a French composer and pianist.-Biography:Born in Paris, she studied at first with her mother, then with Félix Le Couppey, Marie Gabriel Augustin Savard, Martin Pierre Marsick and Benjamin Godard, but not officially, since her father disapproved of her musical...
, Saint-Saens and Ravel (1993) - Dorian Recordings DOR-90222 - Salon Classics (1995)
Solo Recordings
- Dorian Recordings DOR-90208 - The Cantorial Voice of the Cello, with Valerie Tryon (piano) (1995)
- Marquis Records 81373 - Reflections Romantic: Duets for Cello and Harp, with Erica Goodman (2007)
- Crystal Records CD 135 – CD reissue of Duos for Cello and Bass with a new work by Don Thompson (2009)
External links
- Marquis Classics Website http://www.marquisclassics.com/artists/bloemendal_bio.html
- Glenn Gould Foundation interview http://glenngould.ca/articles/2010/5/4/early-collaborations-an-interview-with-cellist-coenraad-bloe.html
- AllMusic entry []
- Arkiv Music review http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=221005
- Trio Désirée official site http://www.triodesiree.com/index.html
- Trio Désirée - The Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0tHcDirO_M