Biography

Born: March 13, 1985 - Suawoude, the Netherlands

The Dutch soprano, Elizabeth Kooy, studied at Leeuwarden, Atheneum (1997-2003); at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, where she obtained her Master of Arts (MA) degree in Religious Studies (2003-2009; Master thesis: Musical Instruments on Late-Medieval, Dutch Fresco's); and at Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen, where she obtained her Bachelor's degree in Classical Singing (2008-2013). Her singing teachers included: Hanneke de Wit (her current teacher), Marcel Reijans, Nico van der Meel, and Paul Triepels. She also attended master-classes with Miranda van Kralingen (2013), Emma Kirkby (2012), Eelco Molenaar (2012 & 2013), Margreet Honig (2011 & 2013), Claron McFadden (2011).

Elizabeth Kooy performs both as a soloist and choir-singer. She is an 'all-round' singer with special expertise in old classical music (before 1750) and contemporary music, and special interest in combination singing-acting.

Her repertoire as a soloist include for example: J.S. Bach: Wachet, Betet, seid bereit allezeit (BWV 70) with Asser Bach Cantategroep conducted by Rein de Vries (2014); Huygens: Psalmen, Arthur Honegger: Trois Pseaumes, Vierne: Les Angélus and H. Andriessen - Miroir de Peine at Joriskerk te Amersfoort, with Gerwin Hoekstra (2014), Magnificat, Rutter in Italy 2015, Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms with Toonkunstkoor Delfzijl conducted by Vincent Hensen, Song-recitals with songs by Berstein, Poulenc, Ives, Brahms, Schubert; recitals with luth-player Lex van Sante with music by Dowland, Purcell, Mudarra and Marlene Dietrich.

As an opera singer, she performed at the world-première of the opera De IJsvorstin, at Tryater, music by Peter Sijbenga, staged by Ira Judkovskaja, conducted by Tjalling, role of Roos and Prinses (2014). She has expertise in music-theater, for example the music-play Maria Louise with aria's by Händel and Purcell, at the Grachtenfestival in 2015 with the music-play de Apentafel (songs of Gubaidulina and Huygens) and Kiss of the Spiderwoman where she performed as the Spiderwoman with songs of Mudarra, Dowland and Amy Winehouse. As main roles, she sung L'Amour in Gluck's Orphée et Euridice (2017) and Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore by Donizetti (2018), both performed in Zeist. In 2017 and 2018 she sang Serpina in De Faam de Baas, a Dutch-Frisian adaptation of La Serva Padrona by Pergolesi.

Elizabeth Kooy participated in the Nederlands Studenten Kamerkoor, the Groot Omroepkoor (Netherlands Radio Choir), Consensus Vocalis, the Margaretha Consort, the Nederlands Kamerkoor and in the choir of De Reisopera. She also works as a singing teacher with Roden Girl Choristers in Nieuw Roden, giving singing lessons to girls, age 6-16 (since August 2014); and as a freelance researcher at Prince Claus Conservatoire (since February 2014), doing research at project Music Generations- Groningen. She currently lives in Friesland, the Netherlands.

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