ESTHER STEENBERGEN

guitarist | blogger | sometimes organizer

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So You Want Play In Het Concertgebouw?

I received a call from a manager who asked if his guitarist could perform in our series. I’m afraid not, I replied. The upcoming series was already programmed, and I had never heard her play. I also explained that because she wasn’t (yet) well-known, she probably wouldn’t attract enough of an audience. A day later, the manager sent me an email stating that I indeed heard her play. The only reason I didn’t invited her, was because she was a much better guitarist than I was.

For 25 years, I have been the organizer of the international classical guitar series at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Throughout this time, I have often been surprised by the ways guitarists present themselves both to me and the audience. Intrigued about their choices I have transformed my experiences and reflections into a lecture.

The lecture covers a range of topics, including biographies, promotional photos, and effective collaboration with a manager. It delves into ways for capturing the attention of programmers and navigating the pitfalls and possibilities within the guitar festival circuit.

While I am confident that the lecture holds valuable insights for singers, other instrumentalists, and industry representatives, I have tailored its content with classical guitarists in mind. This lecture is particularly beneficial for those who aspire to establish or enhance their careers on the international concert stage.


Libra Sonatine

Many guitarists ask for the score of the trio’s arrangement of Libra Sonatine by Roland Dyens. Well here it is. The guitar part is published with Editions Henry Lemoine. The bass part, notated by Eric Calmes can be downloaded here. Percussionist Enrique Firpi based his part on the bass part. I trust you to mention the Esther Steenbergen Trio, as the arrangers, whenever you use it.

the lick – starting with improvising

‘If you want to start improvising, start with learning solo’s by heart, divide them into licks, and use these licks in your improvisations.  It’s like learning a foreign language. First you learn words and sentences. Then you start using them…’

Christiaan van Hemert, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of the Rosenberg Academy. 

Mozart KV 200, arrangement for three guitars

The Amsterdam Guitar Trio

The Amsterdam Guitar Trio gave it’s last performance in 2003 but every now and then I get requests for scores of the arrangements. Unfortunately there aren’t any. Parts were updated by each individual member and hardly ever united into a trio score. Except for Vivaldi’s Four seaons, the score – including remarkable misprints – is still available at Harlekijn Holland. And Mozarts Symphonie KV 200:

The Score

The CD

amsterdam guitar trio

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

In the eighteenth century the guitar was regarded as a pleasant way of passing time and little serious music appeared for the instrument. Like many of his contemporaries, Mozart never wrote a single note for the instrument. Although in the last two centuries the guitar has been developing into a full member of the classic music scene, the obvious lack of repertoire from this period remains. Of course 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 Amsterdam Guitar Trio

“they broke all the rules and got away with it
Los Angeles Times

The international succes of the Amsterdam Guitar Trio was not only a result of their excellent muicianship, 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.

Track list

Sonata for Piano Duet (four hand) KV 497

  • Adagio – Allegro di molto
  • Andante
  • Allegro

Symphony KV 200 

  • Allegro Spirituoso
  • Andante
  • Minuetto – Allegretto
  • Presto

Sonata or two pianos KV 448 (375a)

  • Allegro con spirito
  • Andante
  • Molto Allegro

line up

  • Helenus de Rijke guitar
  • Olga Franssen guitar
  • Esther Steenbergen guitar
  • Hein Franssen recording director
  • Bert Uijtjens recording engineer

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