Dutch famous pianist Henry Kelder (Groningen 1973) is graduated with distinction in 1995 as a classical pianist at the North-Netherlands Conservatoire in Groningen with Gerben Makkes van der Deijl. After that he studied in Rotterdam for concertpianist and chambermusician with famous Polish pedagogue Barbara Grajewska (Jan Ekier, Maurizio Pollini). He took lessons with Eugen Indjic (Paris) and Vladimir Tropp (Moscow) in the Neuhaus-tradition.

He followed masterclasses with György Kurtág, Ronald Brautigam, Pavel Gililov, John O'Conor, Jan Wijn en Zoltán Kocsis. Besides this he studied composition at the Utrecht Conservatory with Tristan Keuris and later at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Louis Andriessen.

Henry Kelder won several prizes in international competitions, but he doesn’t believe in his own succes by winning competitions. Performances were given in the United States, Germany, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. He plays with orchestras and works a lot in chambermusic-ensembles.

He worked together with Schlomo Mintz, Barbara Pearson, Mark Lubotsky, Eeva Koskinen, Jacob Slagter, Herman Krebbers, Olga Gurkovska and many others. Last year he visited Florida for a concert and masterclasses at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Which resulted in a solo-rectial december 2005 at the International Pianoseries at the Palladium in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Since 1996 Henry Kelder is appointed as teacher at the piano-department of the North-Netherlands Conservatoire in Groningen. Besides that he´s working as an accompanist at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He is a permanent teacher at the International Peter the Great Festival.

Next seasons he will make CD-recordings with Dutch Bird Records and he’s going to compose for orchestras and modern music ensembles. He´s going to lead a The Hague Modern Ensemble-project for cross-overmusic.

Some press-reviews:

"Henry Kelder deserves a place on international stages, everybody should hear him. He´s so honoust, direct and diverse; his touch is right from the heart."

"The sound he produces is unique, that´s how you want the piano should talk, or sometimes you don´t want to: you must!"

"Henry Kelder gave an outstanding interpretation with a marvellous sound, it gives you the feeling you are on another planet"

"Henry Kelder took care of a sublime accompaniment, gentle from the first till the last note!"