Besides his work as the principal trombonist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jörgen van Rijen has become a frequently requested soloist with a special commitment to promote his instrument and develop new repertoire for the trombone. He has played recitals in most European countries, as well as the United States, Japan and Australia and has appeared as a soloist with various orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2004 he was awarded the prestigious Netherlands Music Prize, the highest distinction in the field of music from the Dutch Ministry of Culture. He won several other prizes, including first prizes at the international trombone competitions of Toulon and Guebwiller. In a review for his first CD (Channel Classics), music magazine 'Luister' wrote: 'Van Rijen is a real ambassador of his instrument, which is still not often used as a virtuosic brass instrument among composers. But there are not that many trombonists that reach the brilliant level of Van Rijen. In sound, dynamic, color, musical understanding and expressiveness Van Rijen is unequalled...'. Future engagements include solo performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, which commissioned a Trombone Concerto for him by the leading Dutch composer Theo Verbey, and performances of the trombone solo of Mahler’s 3rd symphony with the Luzern Festival Orchestra under Claudio Abbado in Luzern, London and New York. Besides this, Jörgen teaches at the Rotterdam Conservatory and is an active chamber musician. He was one of the founders of the New Trombone Collective and the RCO Brass and is artistic leader of both of these ensembles.

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"..fascinating portrait of a master trombonist... his virtuoso technique need fear no comparison with the best in his field."
Guy Richards, Gramophone Magazine October 2009

"It's difficult not to warm to a disc called I Was Like Wow! ... In a glorious antidote to the trend of forcing instruments to do things they aren't meant to do, here van Rijen has simply produced a disc with some cracking music on it in a sexy and appealing way...Van Rijen's sound is rich, rounded and far removed from the laddish image his instrument is sometimes given...[he is] demonstrating that the trombone is capable of extreme expressiveness. Across a variety of standard pieces and specially commissioned works, he proves that the trombone can really make you go, like, wow."
Hazel Davis, MUSO, June/July 2009

Project: "I was like WOW!" Channel Classics CD released 2009

"The agility of his playing...is impressive...Fans of the trombone will no doubt find this of interest, but the music turns out to be far more worthwhile and rewarding than just a sackbut showcase"
David Vickers, Gramophone October 2008

Project: "Sackbutt", the first of two CDs on Channel Classics. Released 2008.

• Two CDs for Channel Records
• New commission
• Showcase concert at 22 Mansfield Street

General Management

Thijs Faas at
telephone: +31 62 490 7494
thijs@faasmm.com
www.jorgenvanrijen.com