Research Retreats — for cellists and composers

Jeroen den Herder completed his studies with distinction with Maria Hol, Dmitri Ferschtman and Christopher Bunting. He then became a leader of the Cello Octet Conjunto Ibérico, a group with a worldwide reputation as a full time cello ensemble.

Den Herder gained several music awards. Among them a first prize-winner of the “Postbank Sweelinck” cello competition and the first prize of the Foundation of the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam. He’s been an active chamber music player, performing with musicians like Janine Jansen, Igor Roma, Anner Bijlsma and as a member of the Ruysdael Quartet Den Herder performed in all major concert halls in Holland (Concertgebouw) England (Wigmore Hall) and Japan (Oji Hall). Their concerts at the Amsterdam Quartet Biënnale received much acclaim. Between 1999 and 2012 Jeroen has been the cellist of the Nieuw Ensemble, one of the leading Dutch ensembles for contemporary music.

Fulfilling the function of artistic director CelloWercken Zutphen, which embodies both the International Cello Festival and the Cello Academy, he commissioned contemporary composers the write for the festival, leading to inspired projects such as The Tibetan Book of the Death and Passion of Innocence.

Den Herder has been a dedicated teacher ever since he took a professorship at the age of 22 at the Utrecht conservatory. His lessons are based on the development between mind and body, and a cello technique inspired by his teacher Christopher Bunting, a former student of Pablo Casals. Cello playing based on natural principles like gravity, character and playfulness.

“Everything is music, play not to avoid mistakes, delegation of body functions and breathing” are some key topics which will lead to a healthy way achieving perfection. His main focus is making people aware what they exactly practise. He believes being aware of one’s imagination, sensitive listening, intuition and delegation of body functions are elements that have proved to be the best teachers for life.

He’s been a regular guest teacher at the Conservatory in Minsk (2003-2010) and visiting guest- professor at the University in Tainan, Taiwan. Furthermore he has given masterclasses in Holland, Belgium, Spain, Germany, France, China and Israel. Today he helds positions as a teacher at the Conservatories of Utrecht and Rotterdam.

“I’ve heard Jeroen den Herder performing the Elgar cello concerto with the Sint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. He played with great distinction and sensitivity, and I believe he will grow into a wonderful cellist” Yehudi Menuhin, 1995.

Anne-Maartje Lemereis is a Dutch composer, pianist and educator. After graduating from the Stichtse Vrije School in Zeist, she studied classical piano and composition at the HKU Utrechts Conservatorium.

She is currently working there as a composition teacher and mentor, and is closely involved in the development of young composers and music education.

Her work spans composition, performance and education, with a strong focus on making contemporary music and creative practice accessible to a wide audience. From 2024 to 2025, she served as Componist der Nederlanden, a national ambassadorial role for Dutch music in which she focused on music education and creative authorship.

Alongside her composing practice, Anne-Maartje is active as a teacher, mentor and presenter. She works with students, institutions and ensembles on developing creative processes and compositional thinking, and is known for her hands-on, inclusive approach to music education, often starting with very young children.

Arnold Marinissen: ‘For me, creating music is all about immersing. Warmth and pulse are words that come to mind when I try to describe my music. Voice and text are important; I like to follow the route that a text lays out for me, to deal with breath, diction, nuances of intonation, and I’m intrigued by the personality of each individual voice.’

With his background in percussion he also likes to write for this multi-coloured family of instruments. But he equally gladly dedicates himself to strings, winds and keyboards, electro-acoustic music and music for dance and film.

His works were performed by, amongst others, Residence Orchestra string trio, Asko|Schoenberg Ensemble, Storioni Trio, Slagwerk Den Haag, Silbersee, Calefax Reed Quintet, Ensemble SCALA, Ensemble Variances (France), Maat Saxophone Quartet, Asko Kamerkoor, Pinquins Percussion Trio, Prisma Strijktrio, and performers such as Katharina Gross (cello), Helena Rasker (voice), Michel Marang (clarinet), Goska Isphording (harpsichord), Ernestine Stoop (harp), Claire Edwardes (percussion), Tatiana Koleva (percussion), Raymond Honing (flute). He created work for choreographer/dancer Ederson Rodrigues Xavier, for the Dutch cinema film Bernard, and for an audio visual installation by the Italian artist Pierluigi Pompei.

His vocal quintet Von Pferden, Gräsern, Sonnen, Menschen was nominated for the Toonzetters Best Dutch Work of 2012 Prize. It was performed by VOCAALLAB in the Holland Festival 2012, and by EXAUDI in the UK. His work has been performed throughout the Netherlands, in the Biennale di Venezia, the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the PASIC and Zeltsman Marimba Festival (USA), Sao Paolo (Brazil), Taipei (Taiwan), Zagreb (Croatia) and Wellington (New Zealand), amongst others.

His music also sounded in the Dutch cinema film Bernard and in dance productions by Club Guy & Roni, Korzo Productions and Scapino Ballet; it was broadcast by the BBC and in The Netherlands.

Chris Saris is a percussionist, theatre maker, educator and workshop leader whose work moves fluidly between contemporary music, music theatre, dance and interdisciplinary performance.

He performs with theatre companies, ensembles, bands and orchestras, and has collaborated with organisations including BL!NDMAN, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam and the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, as well as artists such as Lavinia Meijer and composers including Philip Glass and Mauricio Kagel. His work has brought him to theatres and festivals throughout the Netherlands and abroad.

After graduating cum laude from the Conservatorium Zwolle and later from the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold (Germany), Chris developed a strong affinity for theatrical and collaborative forms of music-making. He has performed for dance companies including Introdans and the Dutch National Ballet, composed music for dance productions and visual art installations, and established himself as a versatile performer in music theatre. He is also co-founder of Duo Pochan, an ensemble combining hand percussion with the Japanese shō (mouth organ).

Alongside his performing career, Chris is a dedicated educator and coach. He teaches percussion, develops creative workshops, and works with participants of all ages and backgrounds, from young children to emerging professionals. His educational work includes collaborations with schools, community organisations and initiatives such as Papageno Foundation and Musicians Without Borders. Known for his open and collaborative approach, he encourages musicians to explore communication, creativity and artistic presence alongside technical development.

As a talented pianist, Hua-Hsuan Lee has been awarded prizes in numerous national and international competitions in her young age, including the first prize of International Cross-Strait International Music Competition(2015), the first prize of International Violin & Piano Competition of Vienna (2011), the first prize of Taiwan Music Competition (2007) , the second prize of Taiwan National Student Competition(2007) and as 3ème Prix à l’unanimité of International Music Competition (2022).

In 2016, while she studied for her master degree with Russian-German pianist Stepan Simonian in Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Hamburg, her unique music talent and soulful playing was discovered by mastro Jeroen den Herder. Following that she has formed the cello/piano duo with Mr. den Herder and has been invited by numerous International festivals giving performances in Spain, Turkey, Netherlands. Since 2020, they have created their own concert series “Den Herder op Zondag”, where the diverse music has been provided to the public. The repertoire amounts virtuoso classical music to contemporary music.

Next to her solo career, Hua-Hsuan Lee has extensive experience working as collaborative pianist with promising musicians and teachers, for instance Leonid Gorokhov, Jakob Koranyi, Gavriel Lipkind, Pieter Wispelwey. Since 2017 she collobrate as pianist in residence of Cellofestival Zutphen for masterclasses and concerts.

Being a highly sensitive and enthusiastic artist, she has an unusual sensation and deep desire of searching for different artistic ways of self-expression. Her curious and challenging heart leads her to CelloWercken, where she can express freely in her unique voice and share her warm heart with people.