Susanna Veerman
More than 14 times played this month
Susanna Veerman was born in Amsterdam in 1975. She received her first music lessons from her mother (piano, solfeggio). She further studied choral conducting (music) at the Gnesin Middle Music School (1989-1993) in Moscow (Soviet Union) and later at the Moscow Conservatory, specializing in choral conducting and organ. In 1997, she obtained her choral conducting diploma in Russia (Moscow). In 1998, she received her practical diploma in choral conducting from the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam under Jan Pasveer. In February 2001, she graduated as a Performing Musician (choral conducting) under Joop Schets. In 2005, she graduated as an organist (Performing Musician) from the Rotterdam Conservatory under Ben van Oosten. She also holds a first-degree diploma in church music for cantor and organist (2002). In 2003, she won the third prize at the organ competition in Schläegl (Austria), and in 2003, she won the second prize at the organ competition in Brielle. In 2004 and 2005, she won the second prize at the Govert van Wijn organ competition in Maassluis. In 2007 and 2008, she was a finalist at the A. Guilmant and M. Reger organ competition in Leeuwarden.
Susanna has built an extensive concert career as an organist, conductor, and accompanist on both organ and piano. Additionally, she sang as a soprano in the Westerkerk Choir in Amsterdam under J. Pasveer from 1997 to 2005. From January 2005 to July 2013, she served as the regular accompanist for the Westerkerk Choir and Bach Orchestra (piano/organ/continuo player).
She currently conducts three men's choirs, namely the Rijnlands Christian Men's Choir "Vox Humana" in Leiden since 2004, the Vlaardings Men's Choir "Orpheus," and the Men's Choir "Sursum Corda" in Enschede.
In 2006, she toured Berlin with RCM Vox Humana and, as a conductor, released the CD "Klassieke parels" with Vox Humana in 2007. She also accompanies the Apeldoorn Christian Men's Choir since 2008 on organ and piano at concerts.
Since 1999, she has been a cantor and second organist at the R.K. Augustinus Church in Amsterdam Oud-West. Since May 1, 2009, she has been the head organist (titular) at the aforementioned church, where she plays the Cavaille-Coll organ from 1881 weekly and organizes international organ concerts.
In January 2006, Susanna's first CD with French organ works was released, including F. Poulenc's Organ Concerto in G for orchestra, timpani, and organ. In 2005, 2006, and 2007, Susanna received grants from the two major funds (Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds and Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten) to travel to Lyon (France) for private organ lessons from L.Robilliard for three years. She also receives private organ lessons from Ben van Oosten in the Grote Kerk in The Hague.
In April 2007, she received the silver medal (l'argent) from the Société Académique "Arts-Sciences-Lettres" for her contributions to French choral and organ music. Since March 2007, she has worked at the Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam at the Faculty of Theology as a lecturer in church music and singing, and since 2009, she has taught courses on French organs at the HOVO in Sneek. Susanna gives approximately 25 solo organ concerts per year throughout the Netherlands. Since 2005, she has also performed concerts abroad in countries such as France, Russia, Belarus, the United States, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
With Wim Does (her husband), she forms a permanent four-hand duo on organ and piano at concerts since 2006. Her specialization and love primarily lie in Dutch and French romantic organ repertoire from the 19th and 20th centuries. In July 2008, her second CD was released by the Festivo label with French organ works recorded on the Cavaille-Coll organ from 1894 at the Saint-Antoine des Quinze-Vingts church in Paris (12th arrondissement).