About Ian de Jong

 

The Dutch-American, conservatory educated violinist Ian de Jong has built his reputation on performances that are uniquely breathtaking while at the same time conforming to the highest standards of professionalism.  He views every project  as a new challenge, an opportunity for development and exploration as an artist. With many years of experience, Ian has played live music at wedding ceremonies, funerals, receptions, and countless other important events. People who work with Ian describe his work as "intense," "creative," and "extremely compelling."

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Ian has distinguished himself in the fields of solo, chamber, and orchestral playing. In the United States, Ian has played solo concertos with the Windy City String Ensemble, the Merit Symphony Orchestra, and the DePaul Baroque Ensemble. As the concertmaster of the Dutch orchestra the Ricciotti Ensemble, he regularly plays concertos, solo pieces and other solos, in cooperation with such artists as Spinvis and Liesbeth List. In Chicago, Ian played solo recitals in Unity Temple and the Nineteenth Century Club, with a yearly recital in connection with his studies at DePaul University. As a chamber musician, he has been a member of the Oberon Trio and the Merit Honors Trio, and as a student in Chicago played with every possible combination of instruments, from a duo with guitar to a septet with winds. He received additional chamber music coaching at the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Institute and the Round Top Summer Festivals in 2007 through 2009. Since 2011 Ian has played with the upstart group HENS, a band that performs covers of Andrew Bird songs as well as original music. Equally active in orchestras, Ian has performed as concertmaster of the Ricciotti Ensemble, the Unico Ensemble, and the DePaul chamber and opera orchestras. Most recently he performed as tutti violinist with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the North Netherlands Orchestra, The South Netherlands Philharmonic, the Netherlands Youth Orchestra, and Philharmonia Amsterdam.

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Ian's musical education is varied and international. He began violin lessons at the age of eight at the Amstelveen Muziekschool in the Netherlands, as one of the first pupils of Wiesje Miedema, now professor of pedagogy at the Amsterdam Conservatory. In 1999 Ian's family moved to Chicago, where he received lessons from Michael Hining, Guillaume Combet, and Robert Waters. Always looking to expand his musical possibilities, Ian also followed jazz lessons with Steve Gibons, of the Gypsy Rhythm Project. Under violin professor Robert Waters, Ian graduated magna cum laude in 2010 from the DePaul University School of Music with a Bachelor of Music. After his studies, Ian decided to further pursue his career in the Netherlands. Living in Amsterdam since 2010, Ian has attained a Bachelor of Music from the Amsterdam Conservatory with Kees Koelmans, and a Master's degree from the Rotterdam Conservatory with Gordan Nikolic and Gijs Kramers.

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Since 2011, Ian plays on an 1880 Voller Brothers violin, generously on loan from the Netherlands Instruments Foundation. Next to his musical activities, Ian is an English teacher, editor and translator at the English Center of Amstelveen.