““The accordion of Vincent van Amsterdam is almost an extension of his body. He fills the hall with his musical personality and is an extremely fascinating storyteller.”
Jury Dutch Classical Talent Award 2016
Vincent van Amsterdam opens up a new world of beauty to the open-minded listener. Virtuosity serves expression, in both small and large gestures. Listen to Bach and Franck with new ears, discover Solotarjov and Gubaidulina, feel the temperament of Piazzolla and Galliano. Welcome to the surprising sound world of the classical accordion.
With early, baroque, and romantic music, Vincent embraces a well-known and beloved repertoire, in which he does complete justice to the melody and polyphony. He also offers new insights in his translations of pieces intended for larger ensembles, often explicitly virtuoso in sound and presentation. In his translations, Vincent strives for a purity that leaves the original intact.
Vincent likes to be inspired by compositions that transcend the instrument, so that pure music is the center of attention. Vincent has had several pieces composed for him: Tombeau pour Ton de Leeuw by Daan Manneke, The Old man and the Sea by Aart Strootman, Trembling Music by Maxim Shalygin and Aardverschuiving by Bianca Bongers, among others.
In 2023, the Kwintet voor strijkkwartet en accordeon, composed by Christiaan Richter and dedicated to Vincent, will be premiered, as well as a sextet for string quintet and accordion by Willem van Merwijk, a composition on the interface of classical, jazz, and tango.
As soloist, he gave the world premiere of Willem Jeths’ Accordion Concerto with the Nederlands Kamerorkest in 2019, and has played accordion concertos from Václav Trojan (Prohadka), Ole Schmidt, en Hugo Hermann, among others. He performed Piazzolla’s Aconcagua Concerto with the Nederlands Kamerorkest, the Residentie Orkest, and the Bochumer Symphoniker.
In December 2023, he debuted the world premiere of Mathilde Wantenaar’s Accordion Concerto at the Konzerthaus Vienna, performing with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna conducted by Markus Poschner. The concerto had its Dutch premiere at the Muziekgebouw/Amsterdam in March 2024, followed by a performance at Amare/The Hague with the Residentie Orkest conducted by Anja Bihlmaier. Another commissioned piece by Wim Henderickx will be premiered soon..
The versatility of the accordion and Vincent’s chameleon-like qualities are also apparent in various ensembles. The Van Amsterdam Duo (since 2004) with his sister Jeanine on violin alternates translations of works by Piazzolla, Vivaldi, Kreisler, Sarasate with newly composed duo repertoire. Together with Quirine Viersen’s cello, the lyricism in Saint-Saëns, Stravinsky, and Pärt can be heard. In Mahler’s orchestral songs, the accordion breathes as a “one man orchestra” together with the voice of mezzo soprano Esther Kuiper. In the ensemble Astori Amsterdam, presenting Argentinian tangos, the accordion has various roles: sometimes as piano, then again as bandoneon.
Vincent developed his versatility in sound and repertoire together with teachers from various sectors in The Netherlands and abroad, as well as in masterclasses. Vincent plays on all major stages and classical music festivals in the Netherlands. Concert tours have taken him to France, Italy, Austria, Serbia, Greece, Greenland, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China, among other countries.
Vincent plays on a Bugari Prime3 accordion.
