ESTHER STEENBERGEN
Biography | C.V.
Esther Steenbergen is internationally recognized for her fresh approach to the repertoire. Renowned as a soloist, ensemble player and accompanist of singers and instrumentalists, she works with musicians and artists from numerous styles and disciplines. Occasionally she takes part in theater productions. With her trio she happily crosses the classical repertoire with Latin, jazz and folklore. As a member of the highly acclaimed Amsterdam Guitar Trio, accompanist of the well known bass-baritone Maarten Koninsgberger and her own Trio, she performs and performed all over Europe, the Americas and Asia.
Publicity Pack
ESTHER STEENBERGEN TRIO
Guitar trio (guitar – bas – drums)
With:
Eric Calmes, bass
Enrique Firpi, cajon
In Colombia with:
Camilo Trejos, bass
Sebastian Trejos, cajon
Eric remigrated to Curaçao.
Trio 2.0 is on its way.
SAKURA
CD
Whenever I play Sakura Variations people ask me where to get the recording. So I put it on CD, together with Bellefleur by Pieter van der Staak.
NATURE BOY
Recording
On tour with Die schöne Müllerin we started playing the American Song Book, just for the fun of it. Maarten Koningsberger got a taste for it and released a jazz CD. In preparation for that, we recorded my adaptation of Nature Boy.
Latin American repertoire for classical guitar performed with bass and percussion.
In 2003 we recorded our version of die schöne Müllerin. Olga and I included a bonus : Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata performed on two guitars.
ROMANCERO GITANO
Recording of a live performance in Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam
A solo concert for guitar with an orchestra of singers, would be an appropriate description of Romancero Gitano.
One can think of many reasons not to play Mozart on three acoustic guitars. Nevertheless, we did it. We simply couldn’t resist the delicacy and refinement of this music, the unequalled quality of the compositions and, above all, the pure joy of playing Mozart.
The Spanish conquerors who entered the new land from the Atlantic side of the continent wound up in a huge desolated part of the world, completely isolated from Europe. Here a unique style developed which was named after the river of silver: Musica Rioplatense.
With Gustavo Pazos Conde, guitar & compositions
DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN
ARPEGGIONE SONATA
Die schöne Müllerin in concert
Schubertiades
2003 – 2018
Maarten Koningsberger, Olga Franssen and I performed the famous song cycle countless times in concert. On stages in the Netherlands, Greece, Indonesia, South Africa, Denmark and China. We also organized Schubertiades which became quite popular.
AMSTERDAM GUITAR TRIO
Guitar trio (three guitars)
1996-2003
The international succes of the Amsterdam Guitar Trio was not only a result of their excellent musicianship, but also of the uniqueness of their presentation. Apart from their much-praised virtuosity and musicality, the trio has been singled out for its programming: surprising, transcriptions are followed by contemporary pieces that exploit unknown possibilities, hardly imaginable on the guitar.
The Amsterdam Guitar Trio cast a fresh light upon music originally written for other instruments by rearranging them for three guitars. Successfully breaking the rules as proved by the Trio’s transcription and recording of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons which won them an Edison Award.
BROERS
Music Theatre
A burlesque about two brothers, their mother’s ashes and a flamenco dancer.
Idea: Porgy Franssen
Script: Bodil de la Parra
With Conchita Boon, Evert van der Meulen and Porgy Franssen.
PIET PAALTJES
Music Theatre
The contrast between the poet and the pastor, between Piet Paaltjens and its creator François Haverschmidt seemed good material for a music theatre production. It turned out very differently from what I had imagined and grew into a theater production with more than 60 performances.
With Theo Nijland, Maarten Koningsberger, Porgy Franssen, Daniel Samkalden, Olga Franssen. Director Han Römer. Producer Hummelinck & Stuurman.
CYRANO
Music Theatre
Transcribed by Imme Dros
Music written by Fons Markies
A production of Holland Opera
KIJK!MUZIEK
Music Theatre
With the Amsterdam Guitar Trio
Hein Franssen, accordeon
Nadia David, cello
compositions, Chiel Meijering
DE PETOMAAN, DE NECROFIEL EN DE TROMPETTIST
Music Theatre
Triology about wind.
Idea: Porgy Franssen
Production: Orkater.
