Frans van Tilburg
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Frans van Tilburg, born April 13, 1933, started his musical career at the age of 11 as organist of the Christian Reformed church in his hometown of Gorinchem.
After successively playing the organs in Spijk (ZH) and Rumpt during Sunday services, he was appointed organist of the Reformed Church in Werkendam in 1957, a position he held for 27 years. Afterwards he became organist in the Ontmoetingskerk in Spijkenisse. In 1992 he was appointed one of the organists of the Reformed Church in Sliedrecht.
After Frans heard an organ performance by Dirk Jzn. Zwart (1917-2002) in the Grote Kerk in Gorinchem, the desire to 'enter the profession' became stronger and he decided to take lessons with Jan Bonefaas (1926-2004), Adriaan Kousemaker (1909-1964) and Feike Asma (1912-1984).
Frans van Tilburg has given many organ concerts. He was also often involved in LP recordings as an organist or conductor. Who is not familiar with the organ LPs recorded in the Sint Catharina Church in 's Hertogenbosch and the Sint Hippolytus Church in Delft, of which Ter Meulen sold thousands of copies. Many CD recordings were made later. He also contributed to numerous radio and TV recordings for many years, mainly for the Evangelische Omroep. The TV recordings at the time (for example in 1972) in the Sint Stevenskerk in Nijmegen and later in the Sint Jan in Gouda and the Pieterskerk in Leiden, were the precursors of the current EO program “Nederland Zingt”. He has always done his work with great pleasure and full dedication. Performances abroad took place in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Israel and the United States. For all his work in various areas of music practice, he received a royal honor in his jubilee year of 1984. Frans van Tilburg died on May 28, 2005 after a short illness.
