About
Sander van den Houten (1987) has been appointed organist of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Hague from April this year and is therefore a permanent player of the famous Bätz organ from 1762. He is also a titular organist of the Burgwalkerk and the Broederkerk in Kampen and second organist of the Bovenkerk there.
At the age of eight he started studying piano and organ with Paul Kieviet in Middelharnis (Z-H). He participated in competitions and won prizes at the youth solo competition in Melissant (3rd prize), the ensemble competition in Oude Tonge (2nd prize) and the Buxtehude competition in Zierikzee (1st prize).
He received his vocational training as an organist at the Rotterdam conservatory with Bas de Vroome (literature) and Aart Bergwerff (improvisation) and earned his bachelor's degree there.
In 2013 he graduated cum laude for his master's degree in organ at the ArtEZ conservatory in Zwolle with Theo Jellema.
Sander van den Houten also attended master classes with Willem Tanke (Messiaen), Harold Vogel (Buxtehude), Jacques van Oortmerssen (Stylus Phantasticus) and Thomas Trotter (English organ literature).
His work as a choir accompanist brought him to the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Denmark and Austria, among others. He also made a concert trip to Russia in 2013 where he gave a number of organ concerts in Kostroma.
As a conductor he is affiliated with the Immanuël Concert Choir in Kampen and the "Singing and Oratory Association Raalte". He is also cantor of the Theological University in Kampen. Sander is taking private lessons with director at Wiecher Mandemaker.
He is also the permanent accompanist of, among others, the Bovenkerk Kamerkoor (Ab. Weegenaar) and of the Kampen Boys Choir (Rv) in Wies.
Sander van den Houten gives many concerts every year as a soloist, accompanist and continuo player. He also has a private teaching practice.