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Former chief conductor Hans van den Hombergh 1923-2012

10.01.2012

Hans van den Hombergh studied piano and orchestral and choral conducting at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, with Anthon van der Horst, among others. He then became repetiteur and choirmaster with such companies as De Nederlandse Opera and Opera Forum in Enschede. De Nobel, who towards the end of the 1970s began thinking about retirement, had followed Van den Hombergh’s career for some years before entrusting him with the leadership of the choir, and had seen in him a potential successor.  Van den Hombergh first conducted the choir in 1969, and in 1970 toured with them in America, where he also conducted several concerts.

(Hans van den Hombergh, photo Paul Hameleers)

In 1972 he was appointed chief conductor, after De Nobel had retired. Van den Hombergh was handed an impressive legacy, since the NKK had built up a considerable reputation during the 50s and 60s. But at the same time he was faced with the important task of guiding the choir through a period of transition, and of helping them to stand on their own feet without De Nobel.
Tough decisions had to be made to allow the choir to undergo a process of rejuvenation. Van den Hombergh succeeded in giving the choir’s unique ensemble sound a new impulse, and at the same time managed to maintain continuity in its quality, which was also reflected in the repertoire. New music remained one of the NKK’s cornerstones. Van den Hombergh conducted the premières of several works, including ”The Fall” by Peter Schat and the Dutch première of ”Chorus and Instruments II” by Morton Feldman. Annual highlights of the choir’s season were its contributions to the Holland Festival.

We shall always remember ‘our’ Hans van den Hombergh as a passionate and erudite man, who played a very significant role in the development of the Nederlands Kamerkoor, and in Dutch choral culture as a whole. Following his chief conductorship of the NKK, he taught at the conservatories of Arnhem and Amsterdam, and gave master classes at the Kurt Thomas Cursus for conductors. For a time he also directed the opera class at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam.

(Hans van den Hombergh in the middle of the front row, photo Paul Hameleers)