{"id":57,"date":"2026-01-12T10:34:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T10:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/?page_id=57"},"modified":"2026-05-23T12:34:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T10:34:44","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/biografie\/","title":{"rendered":"Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"57\" class=\"elementor elementor-57\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b618f6 e-con-full no-padding e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0b618f6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" id=\"biography\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\" data-bg=\"#1a1919\" data-light-text=\"light text\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98612d5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"98612d5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78950eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"78950eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">BIOGRAFIE<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbb4ae1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cbb4ae1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-cbb4ae1{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6779c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c6779c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Delta Piano Trio was founded in 2013 in Austria and consists of Gerard Spronk (violin), Nuala McKenna (cello) and Vera Kooper (piano). The ensemble has grown into one of the most prominent piano trios in the Netherlands. Their intensity, refinement and strong mutual connection were recognised in 2020 with the Kersjesprijs, the most important distinction for chamber music in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n<p>The foundation for this collaboration was laid during studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Musikakademie Basel and the Conservatoire de Paris. There they worked intensively together with members of the Wiener Klaviertrio, the Hagen Quartet and Trio Wanderer.<br \/>\nThe trio attracted international attention early on with a series of first prizes at competitions throughout Europe, including the Salieri-Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition (Italy, 2014), the Vainiunas Chamber Music Competition (Lithuania, 2014), the Orlando Competition (Netherlands, 2015) and the Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition (Switzerland, 2017). These successes marked their international breakthrough and established their name on the concert stage. Since then, the Delta Piano Trio has been a regular and welcome guest at major concert halls and leading festivals throughout Europe, the United States and Asia.<\/p>\n<p>The repertoire of the Delta Piano Trio is broad and varied, ranging from the early piano trios of Haydn and Beethoven, through the Romantic works of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Mendelssohn, to twentieth-century masterworks and contemporary compositions. They combine well-known works with lesser-discovered gems and maintain close ties with contemporary composers \u2013 most notably Lera Auerbach, who dedicated her third piano trio to the ensemble. The trio is also dedicated to music by Dutch and female composers, actively bringing this repertoire to wider attention. They also enjoy collaborating with guest performers and storytellers, such as Nobuko Imai and NPO Klassiek presenter Ab Nieuwdorp.<\/p>\n \t\t<details class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t<summary>Read more<\/summary>\t \n\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The Delta Piano Trio has released several CDs: <em>Taneyev &amp; Borodin<\/em> (2017), <em>The Mirror with Three Faces<\/em> (2018), <em>Origin<\/em> (2022) and <em>Milking Darkness<\/em> (2023). On that last album, the Volkskrant wrote: the intensity of the three musicians is unparalleled, Fanfare Magazine spoke of beautiful mastery and unyielding passion, and BBC Music Magazine described the trio as an outstanding guide, playing with flair and conviction.<\/p>\n<p>What unites the Delta Piano Trio is a shared devotion to chamber music. Driven by a deep love for the piano trio, they seek in every concert a connection and deepening of the music, and a balance between tradition and innovation. Communication, spontaneity, intuition and joy of playing are central to all they do.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea52af8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-inline-php\" data-id=\"ea52af8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"inline-php.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<a class=\"button\"  href=\"#musici\">\n        musici\n    <div class=\"arrow\">\n        <div class=\"tail\"><\/div>\n        <div class=\"head\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/a>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div data-dce-background-image-url=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DeltaPianoTrio-Mei2026-\u00a9vdwoerd-005-2.jpg\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05b2dc4 e-con-full reveal e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"05b2dc4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" 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class=\"elementor elementor-987 e-loop-item e-loop-item-892 post-892 musici type-musici status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\" data-title=\"gerard spronk\" id=\"gerard-spronk\" data-bg=\"#ece8f2\" data-light-text=\"no\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\" data-custom-edit-handle=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-672fbd5 e-con-full e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"672fbd5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" id=\"biography\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-93d46be e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"93d46be\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1713fe e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d1713fe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e800c4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e800c4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Gerard Spronk<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-022f69e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"022f69e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gerardspronk.com\">gerardspronk.com<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-909dfd8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"909dfd8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-909dfd8{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0bc70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d0bc70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Gerard Spronk is a Dutch-Swiss violinist with an international music career. He appears regularly on radio and television, and has won prices at competitions such as the Iordens Viooldagen, the Davina van Wely Violin Competition and the Princess Christina Competition. As a passionate chamber musician Gerard often performs with musical friends and he has played together with artists such as Candida Thompson, Harriet Krijgh, Carla Leurs, Thomas Zehetmair and Clemens Hagen. He also enjoys sharing the stage with his brother, cellist Anton Spronk. Since 2023 Gerard is principal second violin at the Residentie Orkest The Hague. He also regularly appears as guest concertmaster or leader in other orchestras such as Phion, Orchestra of Gelderland &amp; Overijssel, the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta.<\/p>\n<p>Gerard started his violin studies in the Netherlands with Coosje Wijzenbeek and finished his Bachelor of Music with Vera Beths at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Subsequently, he went on to study in Salzburg, Zurich and Basel and obtained three master\u2019s degrees, all with distinction. In Salzburg he studied at the University Mozarteum Salzburg in the class of Pierre Amoyal. In Zurich he continued his studies with Andreas Janke at the Zurich University of the Arts. Lastly, he completed a master specialised in chamber music with Anton Kernjak en Rainer Schmidt in Basel. Gerard also received important musical impulses from various other violinists, including Julian Rachlin, David Takeno, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Vadim Gluzman, Ivry Gitlis and Miriam Fried. Since completing his studies, Gerard enjoys giving coaching and masterclasses to younger musicians and he is also active as jury member for competitions such as the Nederlands Vioolconcours.<\/p>\n \t\t<details class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t<summary>Read more<\/summary>\t \n\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>More then ten years ago Gerard co-founded the Delta Piano Trio, currently working together in the trio with cellist Nuala McKenna and pianist Vera Kooper. In 2020, the trio won the Kersjes Prize, the most important chamber music award in the Netherlands worth 50,000 euros. They have also won numerous other awards, including first prizes at the Stasys Vaini\u016bnas International Chamber Music Competition in Lithuania, the Salieri-Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition in Italy, the Orlando International Chamber Music Competition in the Netherlands and the Orpheus Chamber Music Competition in Switzerland. The trio has performed extensively in Europe, Russia, Israel, China, Korea, Indonesia and the United States in venues such as The Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing), the Gangdong Arts Centre (Seoul) and St. John\u2019s Smith Square (London). The ensemble has released four albums to international acclaim: a debut CD recorded for Naxos Records, \u2018The Mirror with Three Faces\u2019 with Odradek Records, \u2018Origin\u2019 with Challenge Classics and \u2018Milking Darkness\u2019, also with Challenge Classics.<\/p>\n<p>Gerard is also initiator of \u2018Classical comes to everyone\u2019. This social initiative has to goal to bring the beautiful classical music that sounds in the concert halls also to people who do not come in contact with it. Gerard has a violin made by Antonio Gragnani in 1773 on loan from the collection of the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-795b243 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-2206 elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"795b243\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"> <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e9d003 e-con-full reveal e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9e9d003\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adf4454 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"adf4454\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-898\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Gerard-Spronk-by-Sarah-Wijzenbeek-12x12.jpg 12w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"loop-item\" data-elementor-id=\"987\" class=\"elementor elementor-987 e-loop-item e-loop-item-899 post-899 musici type-musici status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\" data-title=\"nuala mckenna\" id=\"nuala-mckenna\" data-bg=\"#f8fa8f\" data-light-text=\"no\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\" data-custom-edit-handle=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-672fbd5 e-con-full e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"672fbd5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" id=\"biography\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-93d46be e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"93d46be\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1713fe e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d1713fe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e800c4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e800c4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Nuala McKenna<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-022f69e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"022f69e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nuala-mckenna.com\">nuala-mckenna.com<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-909dfd8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"909dfd8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-909dfd8{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0bc70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d0bc70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The German-Irish cellist Nuala McKenna (*1993) grew up in a musical family and started playing the piano at the age of four under her father\u2019s guidance and then received her first cello lessons at the age of eight. Only four years later she was admitted to the Conservatory in L\u00fcbeck in the cello class ofProf. Ulf Tischbirek.<br \/>\nShe continued her studies with Jean-Guihen Queyras in Freiburg and later with Ivan Monighetti inBasel where she obtained her Bachelor\u2019s degree with distinction. After completing the Master\u2019s degree in 2018, Nuala is currently studying in the soloist class with Prof. Conradin Brotbek at the Hochschule f\u00fcr Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>She gained further inspiration and experience during masterclasses by renowned musicians such as Frans Helmerson, Miklos Perenyi, Steven Isserlis, Truls M\u00f8rk, Philippe Muller, Gabor Tacaks-Nagy, Ferenc Rados and Troels Svane.<br \/>\nSince 2012, Nuala has been a member and solo cellist of the Balthasar-Neumann- Ensemble conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock. Here she discovered her passion for authentic historical performance and playing on gut strings. In the 2013\/14 season she played as an academist with theRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.<br \/>\nAfterwards she completed a two-year academy at the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen led by Paavo Jarvi.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019 Nuala started her position as solo cellist in the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Furthermore she has been guest leading in orchestras as the Oslo Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic and Dutch Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n \t\t<details class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t<summary>Read more<\/summary>\t \n\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>As a finalist of the Dutch Classical Talent, Nuala played a concert tour with a solo program in all major halls of the Netherlands during the 2018\/19 season.<br \/>\nShe took part in several international festivals such as the Verbier Festival, International Bach Festival Gran Canaria, Schwetzinger Festspiele, Musikfest Radebaul and Podium Festival Esslingen. In the Netherlands she performed at the Grachtenfestival, \u2018Klassifest\u2019, \u2018Wonderfeel Festival\u2019 and the Cello Biennale Amsterdam. She is the artistic director of her own festival \u2018Musikfest Kahleby\u2019, founded in thesummer of 2016.<\/p>\n<p>She played chamber music with renowned artists such as Maria Joao Pires, the Talich Quartet, Boris Garlitsky, Augustin Dumay, Miguel da Silva, Olli Mustonen, Axel Strauss and Jean-Guihen Queyras and performed as a soloist with the G\u00f6ttinger Sinfonieorchester, Theater Erfurt, Kammerorchester Kiel and the Kammerorchester Schleswig.<\/p>\n<p>Nuala has been awarded a Diapason D\u2019Or, the most prestigious of French music magazine award as well as the \u2018Les Clefs Resmusica\u2019 award for her debut CD, newly released in March 2021, with works for solo cello from the 20th century.<\/p>\n<p>Her second album \u2018DUO\u2019 was released in November 2023 in collaboration with pianist Robert Kulek. It features works from the 20th century for cello and piano.<\/p>\n<p>As a laureate of the \u2018Wettbewerb des Instrumentenfond der Deutschen Stiftung Musikleben\u2019, Nuala played a cello with the label \u2018Joseph Guarnerius, from the 2nd half of the 18th century\u2019 from 2011-2023. She is currently playing a cello with label \u2018Joseph Tecchler\u2019 from 1721, generously provided to her by the \u2018Haus der Musik\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-795b243 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-2206 elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"795b243\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"> <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e9d003 e-con-full reveal e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9e9d003\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adf4454 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"adf4454\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1554\" height=\"1478\" src=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-900\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg.jpg 1554w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg-300x285.jpg 300w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg-1024x974.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg-768x730.jpg 768w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg-1536x1461.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Nuala-McKenna-HQ.jpeg-13x12.jpg 13w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1554px) 100vw, 1554px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"loop-item\" data-elementor-id=\"987\" class=\"elementor elementor-987 e-loop-item e-loop-item-901 post-901 musici type-musici status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\" data-title=\"vera kooper\" id=\"vera-kooper\" data-bg=\"#d2efff\" data-light-text=\"no\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\" data-custom-edit-handle=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-672fbd5 e-con-full e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"672fbd5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" id=\"biography\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-93d46be e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"93d46be\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1713fe e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d1713fe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e800c4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e800c4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Vera Kooper<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-022f69e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"022f69e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verakooper.com\">verakooper.com<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-909dfd8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"909dfd8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-909dfd8{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0bc70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d0bc70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Vera Kooper is a Dutch pianist, acclaimed for her expressive playing, technical virtuosity and musical depth. Driven by a curiosity that bridges tradition and innovation, she has built a versatile international career.<\/p>\n<p>As co-founder of the Delta Piano Trio, established in Salzburg in 2013, she has gained widespread recognition. The trio won first prizes at renowned competitions (Salieri Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition, Italy 2014; Vainiunas International Chamber Music Competition, Lithuania 2014; Orlando Chamber Music Competition, Netherlands 2015; Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition, Switzerland 2017) and received the prestigious Anton Kersjes Prize in 2020. The trio has released four albums: <em>Tanayev<\/em> and <em>Borodin Piano Trios<\/em> (Naxos Records), <em>The Mirror with Three Faces<\/em> (Odradek Records), <em>Origin<\/em> and <em>Milking Darkness<\/em> (Challenge Classics). These recordings have been acclaimed worldwide. The trio is actively committed to new music, with a particular focus on its long-standing collaboration with composer Lera Auerbach.<\/p>\n \t\t<details class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t<summary>Read more<\/summary>\t \n\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Vera has performed in Europe, Russia, China, Korea, Indonesia, Cuba, the United States and South Africa. She has performed in venues such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and at renowned festivals, including the Salzburg Chamber Music Festival, the Grachtenfestival, the New York Chamber Music Festival, the Swiss Chamber Music Festival, the West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Musikdorf Ernen, the Gaia Festival and the Storioni Festival. As a soloist, she has worked with ensembles such as the Netherlands Youth Orchestra, Sinfonia Rotterdam and the Basel Chamber Orchestra, and with musicians including Nobuko Imai, Gwendolyn Masin, Leonard Elschenbroich, Benedict Kl\u00f6ckner and Gregor Horsch. In 2020, her first solo album, <em>Hope<\/em> (Odradek Records), was released, featuring works by Beethoven and Corigliano.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2021, she has formed the Duo du Toit\u2013Kooper with South African-Dutch clarinettist Maria du Toit. The duo explores both the classical clarinet\u2013piano repertoire and lesser-known works, with a particular focus on female composers and composers from underrepresented groups. Their debut album, <em>She\/Her<\/em>, was released in 2024 by Channel Classics to enthusiastic reception.<\/p>\n<p>Vera is also committed to exploring new ways of presenting music beyond the traditional concert setting. Between 2020 and 2022, she toured Dutch theatres with Floris Kortie in <em>The Year 250 After Beethoven<\/em>, a musical theatre production about Beethoven\u2019s life. De Volkskrant praised her \u201clayered piano playing,\u201d while NRC described the production as \u201csincere and well-crafted biographical musical theatre.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She began playing the piano at the age of six and, at thirteen, was admitted to the Young Talent Class at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where she studied with Kamilla Bystrova. She later continued her studies with David Kuyken, graduating cum laude in 2011. She then studied at the Universit\u00e4t Mozarteum in Salzburg with George Kern, earning her Soloist Diploma with highest distinction in 2015. Further studies took her to the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Bergamo, the Conservatoire de Paris with the Trio Wanderer, and the Musikakademie Basel, where she obtained her Master of Arts in Specialised Musical Performance under Rainer Schmidt and Anton Kernjak. She also received coaching in London from the American pianist Stephen Kovacevich, who described her as \u201can exceptionally gifted and interesting artist.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-795b243 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-2206 elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"795b243\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"> <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e9d003 e-con-full reveal e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9e9d003\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adf4454 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"adf4454\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1664\" height=\"1664\" src=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-903\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper.jpg 1664w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vera-Kooper-12x12.jpg 12w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1664px) 100vw, 1664px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>musicians<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2581,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-57","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2596,"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/57\/revisions\/2596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deltapianotrio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}