Jörgen van Rijen

In addition to serving as principal trombonist of the Concertgebouworkest, Jörgen van Rijen is in high demand as a soloist with such orchestras and ensembles as the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Residentie Orchestr. He has performed as a soloist with the Concertgebouworkest on many occasions..

Van Rijen studied with George Wiegel at the Rotterdam Conservatoire, where he obtained a performance degree with the highest honours. He went on to study with Michel Becquet in Lyon, where he also studied Baroque trombone with Daniel Lassalle. He has also had lessons and participated in masterclasses with such authorities as Christian Lindberg, Joseph Alessi, bassoonist Brian Pollard and cellist Anner Bylsma.

Composers such as Theo Verbey, Martijn Padding, Jacob ter Veldhuis and Jan van Vlijmen wrote new compositions for him. Van Rijen premiered Kalevi Aho’s Trombone Concerto in 2012 and the world premiere of James MacMillan's Trombone Concerto with the Concertgebouworkest in April 2017.

Van Rijen has been a member of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra since 2007. He teaches at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He is also an active chamber musician, performing in the New Trombone Collective and the musicians’ collective Splendor.

Van Rijen was awarded the 2004 Dutch Music Prize, the highest distinction conferred by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. He won the prestigious Borletti Buitoni Trust Award in 2006. He also won first prize at the international trombone competitions of Guebwiller and Toulon.

Jörgen van Rijen has a German tenor trombone and a bass trumpet on loan from the collection of the Foundation Concertgebouworkest.